What Happened Next
by Fiona Flamingo
Summary: What happened after Lily Evans was discovered skinnydipping by incredibly immature James Potter? Find out in this fluffy sequel, containing the immaculate French girl, soul exchange, balls, mystery, Snape, romances.... Updated Chapter 12 and 13!
1. Prologue

**Author Notes:I added this part, just so that people aren't lost when the read the first chapter. Enjoy!**

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**Prologue: Lakeside Rendezvous**

The heat of the blazing sun warmed Lily's face, as she lay face up to the gorgeous sapphire sky. Apart from the sweltering heat, it was a lovely day. The clouds were like fleecy cotton balls floating peacefully on the blue horizon. The lake beside Lily was a gorgeous turquoise, serene and tranquil for that moment.

Lily took a deep breath, embracing the beauty of her surroundings. Everyone else she knew was at Hogosmeade, enjoying cool minty Snofruzzes or deliciously melting ice cream cones, Lily however decided to stay behind. She liked to have her privacy to ponder and just relax.

Lily was pressed against the sticky blades of lush olive colored grass, her hands resting on her stomach. The shade of the large, oak tree overhead made it much cooler and nicer to remain this way. Lily's auburn hair fanned outward and her cheeks were red. Her eyes of emerald green stared upward thoughtfully.

Lily suddenly thrust herself up, her elbows itching madly. "Arg!" she murmured, scratching herself frantically. She pulled out her wand and performed a soothing spell, which worked quite well.

Then, Lily gazed towards the lake. _So, pure and fresh, not a single soul_, she thought wistfully. She itched to feel the cool, refreshing water against her legs. Lily wished she had brought her bathing suit. Her thick hair was burning in this unbelievable heat and the rest of her just felt drained. _She had to get into that lake. The water was calling her in. _

Lily glanced back at Hogwarts; not a single human being was in sight. Slightly nervous and giddy, Lily tried to talk herself out of it, but her legs were already kicking her shoes off and then her socks seemed to slip easily out her dainty feet. Lily hid behind the massive tree and stripped the rest. She dove in quickly, feeling the water rush between her legs. She was submerged in the cool, refreshing substances, floating languidly.

Lily was like a fish; she swam a couple of laps, enjoying the exhilarating sensation. She flapped her hands about, enjoying splashing herself. The cool water stuck to her faster than glue and covered her body in a glistening sheen.

Lily was in heaven. She sighed peacefully, drifting on her back, beating her legs at a leisurely pace. She shut her eyes and began to sing a melody her mother had taught her before she died.

_"Heaven is up a stairway you can't climb ordinarily--"_ she whispered to herself, a bird cooed in a distance. Gaining confidence, Lily sang the next line a little louder.

_"There are places like heaven, up and above--"_ Lily lifted her soaking hair from the water, a little cautious, but nothing stirred.

_"Places so magical, you wouldn't believe, an ordinary place can be extraordinary…a stairway is not needed--"_ Lily belted out the first few words, but then a faint rustle in the grass jolted her upward and she stopped immediately, her heart beating rapidly against her ribcage.

_Dum. Dum. Dum._

She glimpsed a pair of worn-out black sneaks and accidentally swallowed some water, choking loudly. The owner of the shoes advanced forward and dove into the water, clothes and all.

Lily struggled upward, her hands failing her, her mouth failing her. Someone was with her and she was, well…naked. She frantically tried to ward off whomever it was, screaming, but a pair of lean arms managed to get wrapped around her bare shoulders. Lily felt utterly humiliated and scared. The faceless person was lugging her toward shore.

"STOP!" Lily shrieked, panicked. Shocked, the figure froze.

"_Evans_, you were drowning," replied a familiar voice. Lily groaned inwardly. What luck she had--to be caught skinny-dipping by that arrogant Potter.

"Get out James," she said as politely as she could muster. The boy with hazel eyes, very rumpled black hair and toothy grin simply frowned. "Why? _Can't I join you?_" James said playfully.

Lily wanted to smack him.

"No," she pleaded. 'Get out."

James, soaked head to toe, looked bewildered. "I saved you and this is the thanks I get, Evans?" he pouted, staring at her.

Lily shrunk into the lake, so only her head was visible.

"Potter, this no time for games," Lily stated more calmly than she felt.

James splashed her playfully, wearing a mischievous expression on his face. _Didn't he know?_ Lily thought with disbelief etched on her face.

She had to put a stop this now. "Pass my clothes," she said wearily.

James cocked his head.

Lily sighed irritably. She could swear Potter knew and was deliberately making this difficult for her. "I have no clothes on, Potter. _Is that what you want me to say_?" she snapped, her temper flaring.

Immediately James backed off, his eyes wide.

"_You_ went skinny-dipping, Evans?" he crowed.

Lily shrunk even further into the safety of the water. "Don't you have any decency?" Lily cried, beside herself. James smiled, revealing his pearly white teeth. Lily hated him so much just then.

"Say, please, Evans!" James teased, dangling her skirt at her. Lily growled.

"You bloody jumped-up wanker," she muttered under breath.

"I heard that!" called James, his eyes twinkling. "Wait till everyone knows about this…Lily Evans, prefect, good girl, goes skinny-dipping!" James taunted.

"You wouldn't dare!" shouted Lily. _Oh if only she hadn't left her wand on the bank. _She would have jinxed Potter to the Pluto by now.

James chuckled. "Watch me!" and he sped off the Lily's skirt in hand.

"You better come back here, James Potter!" Lily shrieked, cursing every bone of James's body.

No wonder she loathed him so much.

To be continued...

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**Flamingo's Little Note:** So, disappointed they didn't kiss? Don't worry, I'm writing a sequel, where they actually do! It's just a little scene from the days Lily used to hate James Potter's guts. The ending is a little abrupt, I know, but I wanted leave you hanging. Review if you like or don't like…just review! 


	2. The Problem with James

**What Happened Next**

The sequel to _Lakeside Rendezvous

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**Chapter One **

**The Problem with James**

When Lily finally returned to the Gryffindor common room, she was _not_ pleased. After cursing James Potter for the umpteenth time, she furtively glanced around the vast expanse of Hogwarts grounds and clambered out of the lake to quickly grab her wand. She had finally come to her senses and conjured up her clothes. However, Lily wasn't the best in conjuring and her clothes were several sizes too small, patched , or torn in several places and overall, raggedy garments. Fuming, Lily stomped into the castle. Embarrassment and humiliation were gnawing on her insides like a squirrel on a nut.

Dusk had descended upon the sky and the common room was bathed in a reddish glow. Lily quickly spotted her friends, Imogen Moss and Andromeda Black seated by the fire, dutifully completing their homework. She hurried over, ignoring the pondering, wondering eyes she past.

"Andie! Gen!" she hissed.

Andie and Gen glanced up. When they saw Lily, her mouths dropped open simultaneously.

Andie, the willowy, frizzy, black-haired of the two, spoke first. "Lily…my girl…what _happened _to you?"

"It was that git, James wasn't it?" Gen answered for her grimly, disgust written over her mouse-like face.

With a long breath, Lily proceeded to tell her friends the story of skinny dipping and James Potter pilfering her clothes and running away like a maniac. Their reactions weren't what she expected.

"_You _skinny dipped?" cried Andie, unable to mask her surprise.

"Shut up-"whispered Lily, glancing cautiously around. Gen giggled nervously, gazing at Lily as if she'd never seen her before in her life.

"I can't believe it-" she said, her voice oddly high-pitched; even for her.

"I know!" Andie exclaimed, "I thought I'd be the first to do that sort of thing-"

"Well, Andie, life is full of surprises, get over it," Lily replied tersely, her head throbbing.

Andie sniffed, but her eyes were glinting mischievously in the firelight. Lily and Gen exchanged a glance; they knew that look.

"You must be very angry at James," Andie addressed Lily.

Lily nodded as Gen pulled out her wand and conjured a new set of clothes for her.

"Obviously," Gen sniffed for Lily. "He might be good-looking, but he's a jerk if I've ever known one-"

Lily smiled at Gen's loyalty.

Andie rubbed her hands together. "Revenge is the only answer."

"No!" Lily protested. "I don't want to get in trouble-"

Andie sighed, rising from her seat and pacing about. "The good Lily is back…but I believe the bold Lily still exists within you. Don't you want to humiliate him, give him a taste of his own poison…teach him a lesson? For once? You can't always sit back and take it, Lil. Take a stand!" Andie finished her speech on a confident note, gazing at Lily expectantly.

Hardly thinking, Lily stood up. "You're awfully persuasive, Andromeda,"

"Oh, I know," Andie giggled, flouncing back to her seat and flopping down. Gen's eyes widened slightly. "Well, speak of the victim…"

Lily wheeled around to face James Potter.

The recent memory frothed and bubbled in her mind, rising to the surface. Lily blinked away the images quickly. Her vein throbbed dangerously and her blood boiled.

"Come to return _my clothes_?" she said in a voice that made the Arctic seem a warm and cosy place in comparison.

To her fury, James smirked his classic smirk.

"No-they're hanging in my closet-"

"You pig-" began Gen angrily, just as James's partner in crime, Sirius Black hurried over.

Andie immediately narrowed her eyes. "My cousin as granted us with his presence. Hey, Sirius, did you hear what Lily did today?"

Sirius's mouth twitched. "Oh _yeah_, in great depth and detail."

Lily flushed crimson, staring James in the eye.

"You're going to pay, Potter!"

James ran his hand through his unruly black hair, his hazel eyes twinkling with mirth at Lily.

"You amuse me, Evans."

"Oh, yeah?" hissed Lily, her voice nearly snarl. He'd most definitely gone too far this time. She let herself succumb to temptation.

She slapped him.

Hard.

Right across the left cheek.

James staggered back, clutching his cheek. Pain and shock were written plainly across his features. Lily, biting her tongue to stop herself from uttering sorry, stalked upstairs to her room. She left four Gryffindors behind, astounded.

"Well, that's a first-" mused Andie.

"Shut up-" mumbled James, stumbling backward, still clutching his face.

Lily tossed and turned in bed, her head still reeling from the events of the day. She winced, thinking of the slap; her palm still smarted from it. It certainly wasn't nice…that was the good Lily speaking. The bold Lily wanted James Potter brought to justice.

Just like Andie had said.

Lily and James had never been friends. She knew he was a mischievous prankster, always falling into trouble with the professors and prefects. Lily's mother would have described James as a young boy with a lot of potential, but the inability to use it properly. Lily stayed away from him, without meaning to. They never actually mixed; James had his group, the Marauders and Lily had Andie and Gen.

It wasn't until fourth year Lily actually noticed James Potter fully. The reason: Gen had developed quite a crush on him. She would scoot from pillar to pillar, eyeing him as he walked to other classes. She would giggle girlishly at every stupid joke he made. Andie scorned her for it, claiming it was pathetic and obsessive.

Lily kept her thoughts to herself. She could see why Gen had taken a liking to James. He was tall with wild black hair, penetrating hazel eyes, a star Quidditch Chaser, and charismatic & popular. Lily could see it, but she never could understand it.

Under the smooth surface, James was just the trouble maker he always was. And he was crowned head jerk when Gen had the courage to confess her feelings for him (partly because of Lily's persistent coaxing) and James plainly told her that he _didn't date mice!_

Gen's self confidence was crushed…she was in the depths of despair. Lily hated him for it. Most of all she felt guilty that she had convinced Gen to tell. Yet, how could he be so cruel and inconsiderate? He was worse than she thought.

Surprise came, however, the following year, when Andie informed her that Sirius had told her that James had a thing for Lily.

Andie, chuckling, said, "so that explains why he always seems to act extra idiotic when we pass by-"

James had a crush on Lily.

_Lily Evans!_

He asked her out many time, trying his best to impress and show-off. Except Lily didn't find what he thought to be impressive (torturing Serverus Snape, for instance) anything great.

_Ha_-like she'd even consider going out with a git like him. Especially after what he had done to Gen.

_Why did he like her, anyway?_

Gen sniffed and said it was because she was beautiful. But Lily didn't consider herself beautiful. People had a preconceived notion that she was a frail and delicate thing with wide emerald eyes and a shock of auburn hair. She was just an ordinary girl who happened to have (as her mother called it) a striking face.

Andie suggested it was because she was the only girl in Hogwarts who hadn't given him a second glance.

Lily had dubiously questioned if Andie had given James a second glance.

Andie replied in a calm tone that 'yes, in fact she had, and Lily was crazy if she didn't admit that James's was handsome.'

Lily chose not to reply.

Now in bed, Lily shifted uncomfortably. What would tomorrow bring? She thought sleepily. Would Andie have cooked up a revenge scheme already? And how the hell would she face James? These thoughts occupied her as she drifted into a deep slumber.

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**FFlamingo's Little Note**: R&R everyone! Thanks! 


	3. Andie Suggests

Chapter Two Andie Suggests 

_RRRring!_

The screechy sound of Lily's alarm clock was a noise that Lily was accustomed to & usually ignored.

That morning was no exception.

The alarm sounded & Lily mumbled lazily, slapping her hand over her bed-side table blindly; an attempt to hit the snooze button. The goose-down covers felt so warm and comfortable and her pillow so soft.

Lily could barely even imagine dragging herself up & trudging down to the great hall. Finally, it was Andie who woke her up by the means of water, Sounds of the Wild, vigorous shaking and screaming. Lily was thankful to have a friend like Andie.

At quarter to eight, they both, along with a chirpy Gen made their way to the great hall for some breakfast. Lily's stomach directed herself to the bacon and eggs were located. It directed her right towards James.

Lily, honestly felt like growling at her stomach then.

James didn't look different from what he usually looked. He wore the same lopsided grin he always wore along with his Hogwarts robe. He twirled his wand repeatedly, although, Lily could tell, he wished it was a snitch.

"hello, Potter," Lily had meant it as a sneer, but this time the good Lily had won out.

James cleared his throat. "Listen, Evans," he began, guilt creeping into his voice. "I deserved the slap-" James flinched.

"That's right you did!" Lily replied shortly.

James looked down at his feet. Something, Lily was sure, he usually never did.

James gulped. "I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?"

Lily narrowed her eyes.

"I almost feel like slapping you again, Potter, you snivelling pig-"

Something flickered in James's eyes.

"Snivelling-that's Snivellus Snape's job-not me,"

Lily's eyes hardened even further.

"Snape has more decency than could ever have, Potter-"

Lily turned on her heel, ready to stalk off again.

"Wait!" James suddenly called, desperately.

And Lily waited. Maybe James had come to his senses.

"Will you go out with me?"

Lily had no other option to tape his mouth shut. Literally.

"You really are surprising me these days," Andie told Lily in a slightly awe-struck voice, as she flipped to another page of her heavy volume of _'Rune Decipherer' _.

"I saw the jinx on James and knew only you would have pulled that off-" Gen said, from the library shelves as she replaced a book.

Lily, Gen and Andie were seated in the corner of the library, each hoping to complete the heaps of homework that lay before them.

"And you know what he says in the end?" asks Lily incredulously, unfurling a thick roll of parchment. "'Will you go out with me?' Honestly, he is so irksome and a bit touched in the head-that's when I jinxed him."

To her surprise, both Andie and Gen burst out laughing.

"Oh, Lily…" Andie cried, treating Lily like a clueless child.

"What?" Lily replied.

'When has James Potter had a conversation with you when he has _not_ asked out?" Gen said in a wistful whisper.

"And you should accept," said Andie suddenly, her grey eyes alight with excitement.

"Excuse me?" Lily exclaimed, wondering, perhaps if she had heard incorrectly.

"Oh for goodness sake…she taped his mouth shut! If I were him I would get the hint by now," Gen smirked an uncharacteristic smirk.

Lily smiled as well, dipping her quill in ink, preparing to write the next portion of Professor Slughorn's potions essay.

"You're being ridiculous, Andromeda."

Andie shot Lily a withering glance.

"Do it. Tonight. You have head-boy and head-girl duties, right?"

Lily shuddered. How it was possible that James was ever made head-boy still frazzled her.

"You're crazy, Andie. I'm not going to accept." Lily replied tersely, scratching out a few 'Slughorn friendly' words onto her parchment.

Andie frowned.

"Don't be silly, Lily Evans. Date him. Humour him. Humiliate him. Dump him. Simple. Revenge."

"-is sweet!" chirped Gen.

Lily's jaw dropped.

"You must be joking!" she finally managed.

"It's brutal. It's got to be done."

Andie responded matter-of-factly.

"James will never buy it." Lily finally said, relief flooding through her at that point.

Gen played with her dull brown hair. "Lily, he's in _love_ with you. He'll buy _anything_."


	4. Amelia and Snivellus

Chapter Three Amelia and Snivellus 

After lunch, Lily decided, rather guiltily, to skip Charms. Professor Flitwick was teaching revealer charms and Lily had learned those by heart three years ago. Charms was always her best subject.

She found herself unable to concentrate, anyway.

So, Lily hurried toward the Gryffindor Common Rooms, thinking about Andie's absurd idea, when she smacked right into a tall, greasy haired someone.

_Snivellus._

"Serverus," she said out loud, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you." She stooped down to collect her scattered belongings. Snape watched her coldly through his beady eyes.

"Well, watch out next time. I have enough grime on my clothes without yours too, you disgusting mudblood."

A vein on Lily's forehead popped. Her mind exploded with insults she wanted to hurl back at him, but she felt oddly frozen, numb.

She regarded filthy, swallow-skinned Snape with bulging black eyes and oily black hair parting in a curtain down the centre of his face. She loathed every bit of him. And to think she had stood up for him this morning.

"Don't you dare call me that, Snape," she managed, her voice dangerously low.

Snape wasn't fazed. "Oh really, Miss Prefect?" taunted Snape.

"_Scrougify_!" a familiar voice from an adjoining corridor announced. A brush and a bucketful of 'Maid Merriam's all-purpose Cleaning Solution' (_for everything from sinks to scum_) appeared and began scrubbing, rinsing Snape's mouth.

"I reckon you are scum, Snape, but even Maid Merriam wouldn't be able to get the filth off your tongue purified," a familiar, sarcastic drawl reached Lily's ears.

It was James. Lily nearly gasped out of shock.

He was standing by the pillar, looking awfully proud of himself, waiting expectantly for Lily's praise.

Lily pulled herself together, ignoring the writhing, mumbling Snape.

"Thank you, but next time I can look out for myself." Lily coolly walked off. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw James's beaming face transform into a gloomy thundercloud.

She felt oddly satisfied; in a mean sort of way.

A half-hour later, Lily found herself wandering aimlessly outside. She regretted skipping Charms, yet she needed some time to unmuddle. She spotted Amelia Moon crouched by an alcove of trees, examining the ground.

"Amelia!" Lily waved. Amelia, a bespectacled seventh year with intelligent grey eyes and to braids of golden brown hair, waved back.

"Hi, Lily!"

Lily approached Amelia a little nervously.

Amelia a little strange, always experimenting with magic. Even though her experiments had circumstances, Amelia never gave up. For instance there was day she had fried her hair, had a face full of horrible acne. The most memorable one was when Amelia accidentally turned her hands blue and had to wear gloves for a whole two weeks until she discovered the antidote.

"What are you doing?" Lily inquired interestedly, crouching beside Amelia.

Amelia tucked a stray wisp of blond behind her ear. "Oh, nothing much-" she answered evasively, her voice sounding distinctly guilty and her cheeks colouring a rose pink.

"Amelia," Lily began, grinning, trying to get a peek at the clipboard she held.

Amelia sighed. "Lily Evans, _you're_ just like the rest of them."

Lily felt slightly stung. "What do you mean?"

"_Prying_…" Amelia fixed her protuberant grey eyes on Lily. "But I tell you, anyway because I can trust you…."

"I'm collecting Fernandys and moonflower," Amelia said as if expecting lily to understand.

When Lily didn't comprehend, in a dull voice Amelia recited, "Fernandys and moonflower are commonly used in love potions or spells of attraction-"

Lily took a minute to digest this information.

"Oh…but…_you_!" Lily exclaimed, slightly stunned. She didn't think Amelia Moon would be attracted to anyone except her work. But then, Lily, supposed-everyone did have a set of hormones to exactly that, after all.

Amelia 's face flushed again. "Swear against birthseed you will never tell anyone, Lily Evans! Against the _birthseed_."

"I swear against bird seeds," Lily vowed solemnly, trying to keep a straight face as Amelia swatted her with her clipboard, half-angry, half-playful.

"So, who is it your trying to attract?" Lily asked casually.

"None of your business, Lily," Amelia said, unusually irritable , "but you _can _do me a favour."

Seeing Lily's expression, she added, "_please_?"

"All you would have to do is deposit this-" Amelia placed a envelope in Lily's palm, "at the Astronomy Tower at midnight tonight-"

Lily sat dumbstruck, till Amelia pleaded once again.

"The potion says to get a friend to drop a keepsake in a place where lovers reside in the moonlit hour. I really like him, Lily and you're the only friend I can trust…"

Amelia glanced at her hopefully.

"Oh alright," Lily grumbled a consent. Amelia smiled a rare smile.


	5. The Astronomy Tower

**_Chapter Four_ **

**The Astronomy Tower**

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As the clock struck twelve that night, Lily reluctantly slipped out of bed. She was already dressed in black head to toe, but not especially prepared. She had never ventured in Hogwarts halls after bed-time and she was nervous. Dang that Amelia! Lily cursed, as she passed the sleeping forms of oblivious Andie and Gen, wishing she take them with her. 

_All I have to do is drop of the letter near a pillar and run out of there. No, don't run. If you run, someone might hear you. Peeves, perhaps and he'll make your life miserable._

Pulling a face, Lily performed a charm that caused her to merge with the background. Lily sighed, directing herself down the spindly staircase that led to the common room and the portrait door.

"Amelia you owe me big time," she whispered to herself. A stair beneath her creaked an the armour on the landing clanked. Lily decided it would be best if she shut up and just got this ridiculous favour over with.

Unfortunately the astronomy tower, Hogwarts highest tower was quite a ways off. Lily found herself panting after 6 flights of stairs. She felt strangely bare and light.

_It must be the charm._

Yet, she was thoroughly spooked out. She expected Peeves , the poltergeist to come swooping down her every instant chanting some silly, made-up rhyme.

It took her another ten minutes to arrive at the opening of the tower and she did, panting, puffing and wiping the sweat off her brow. Lily scurried up the stairs to the notorious Hogwarts make-out spot, her heart thudding rapidly against her rib-cage.

A footsteps seemed to echo through the window hall and Lily quickly made her way to the pillar to drop off the letter. Just as she was about make her escape, she heard two voices.

"Oh, James, you're so sly-"

"This is a good spot, Cynthia,"

"Oh, James," Cynthia gave a girlish giggle.

Lily froze, her voice caught in her throat.

_This is horrible!_

Cynthia Goodwin, the Hufflepuff tart and James Potter!

Lily groaned inwardly and then quickly sneaked a peek. They were leaning against the balcony, kissing passionately and doing few other things that went past Lily's vocabulary. Not a scene she especially wanted to walk into!

_Wait!_ She was disillusioned! They wouldn't know she was there, unless she made a sound.

Confidently Lily strode past them.

Ha! _They can't see me!_

However, Lily did not notice James and Cynthia had untangled themselves to test if their eyes were seeing correctly. Nor had she realised the disillusion charm had worn off. Lily was visible as a flashing neon sign.

_Look, I'm Lily Evans and I don't belong here!_

"_Lily Evans?_" James ventured, his voice thick with incredulity. Lily went numb with fear, her green eyes widening considerably and her heart threatening to fail.

Did James have X-ray vision? Could he see through the charm?

To Lily's horror, Cynthia began laughing as well.

"Lily, who _are you_ with?" she enquired, her face a mask of vicious curiosity.

Lily gulped, turning to face them, her face beet red.

_This is not happening. This is not happening!_

"Yes, who are you with?" James asked, in a voice that suggested he was just not merely curious, but quite bothered.

He tightened his grasp on the petite brunette at his side.

Lily's lip curled, in spite of her awkward situation. Almost every girl in Hogwarts liked James and he took advantage of it.

"Um…" Lily began, as her brain bombarded her with irrelevant names.

"Oh, I was her with Amos. You know, Amos Diggory," Lily suddenly and in a stroke of brilliance blurted. A second later it all seemed so impossible and Lily flushed a bright scarlet.

If it were possible, Hufflepuff's Amos Diggory was nearly as popular and revered, not to mention good-looking as James Potter. Except he was a rather goody-two shoes and everyone was surprised he wasn't made head boy, after all. Andie classified Amos as a self-righteous Hufflepuff, but a good catch all the same. Yet there was a quality was curly haired Amos that irked Lily. It was the constant urge to be better than everyone else.

Suddenly a high-pitched question startled Lily. "You two are going out?" Cynthia Goodwin screeched in wonderment, her eyes gleaming and her mouth turned up in a sceptical smile.

James unattached himself from Cynthia to run his long fingers through his mess of black waves. His eyes clouded over slightly, but then grinned wickedly. Lily glanced at the floor.

"And Diggory wasn't _gentleman_ enough to walk his _girlfriend _back?" His words were edged in steel.

Lily continued to regard the floor as she pondered upon the question.

_Hmm, why did the normally courteous Amos Diggory, your boyfriend, not walk you back?_

_Because he _isn't_ your boyfriend!_

You're a liar! 

"Amos isn't here. We came here a while ago and I forgot…my hair-elastic…" Lily finished off, her voice faltering.

"Really," Cynthia exclaimed, "how _very important_, Lily."

James joined in the laughter as Lily's cheeks burned. "I must admit, Evans, you almost caught me there."

"I'm not lying!" Lily cried in a weak attempt to recapture their trust.

_Stupid James!_ It had all started with the skinny-dipping by the lake. And if Lily had been as prudent as she always was, she wouldn't be in this whole mess now.

"You'll see," continued Lily, bravely, throwing still chortling Cynthia and James a condescending glance before making her well-deserved escape.


	6. Gossips' Glowing Embers

Chapter Five Gossips' Glowing Embers 

Lily Evans was now apparently the girlfriend of Amos Diggory. They had also supposedly spent all night snogging up in the Astronomy Tower.

It had spread through Hogwarts like a wild fire and Cynthia Goodwin had lighted the first match.

Lily trudged down to breakfast as usual, prepared to possibly pretend as if last night had never happened. Yet she had forgotten that Cynthia Goodwin wagged her tongue faster than a Krup forked tail, an animal which they had learnt about in fifth-year.

Lily did notice people giving her strange looks and that wasn't that very foreign to Lily, early in the morning. She knew she looked like proper mess.

She did see Amos though, admist worshipping Hufflepuffs, telling some joke or the other. Amos was a tall bloke with curly brown hair and a pair of bright blue eyes. Lily's heart gave an unexpected skip. Maybe she should stride over there and confidently ask him out-then everything would be alright…her problem solved. Gen always said she could get any guy she wanted. Amos wasn't a bad choice, after all.

Lily observed her surroundings as she sipped on pumpkin juice. Andie was winking at Sirius at some inner joke that they seemed to share. Gen was speaking earnestly to James's other friend, Remus Lupin. And James himself…was staring at Lily…

Their eyes locked in an instant. Then James did something he had never done before.

He looked away.

Lily, unexpectedly, felt the strong urge to twist his head and force him to look at her once again. This urge was so absurd. She almost laughed. She should be glad, that James Potter had finally decided to leave her alone.

Lily suddenly felt a poke on her shoulder. It was Amelia Moon, potion-maker and mad-magician. In full attire, Lily noticed. Amelia had donned a stuffed vulture hat and long Viking boots; an odd combination in her dull Hogwarts robes. Lily also observed, her favourite pair of carrot earrings dangled from her earlobes. Lily could help but smile at her peculiar friend.

Amelia looked rather sheepishly at Lily.

"Lily," she began, "I can't tell you how sorry, yet blissfully happy I am. You're a true blue bud-" Amelia began. Her language got extremely flowery when she was excited or…guilty.

"Save it," Lily advised her and went back to eyeing Amos.

Amelia followed her gaze. "Yes, even I heard about that …" said Amelia.

"What?" enquired Lily cluelessly.

For once it was Amelia giving Lily the strange glance.

"That you and Amos Diggory were secretly dating and then broke up over James Potter…?"

"Oh, Andie…" Lily moaned, banging her head against the bathroom wall.

Andie hopped off the rim of the large basin and approached Lily, putting an arm around her.

"Lil-technically it wasn't Cynthia Bad Egg that started it." Andie glanced Lily meaningfully.

Lily groaned. "I know…it was me. No, it was James. He makes do stupid things…" Lily let out a frustrated sigh as Andie watched her bemusedly.

"Look at you…blaming James Potter, when he was innocent for once!"

"What?" Lily asked, in bewilderment. "I'm sure he aided Cynthia with the gossiping-"

Andie shook her head. "No, he didn't. He actually defended you Lily. He said, quote, 'Lily's standards are too high for scum like Diggory' And you were never dating either of them in first place, though Diggory has more of a chance than he ever does."

"Oh…" breathed Lily quietly. 'And then what did the others say?"

"They laughed at him. Said he was jealous, of course. After all, he's been after you for years."

"And what about Amos?"

"Diggory?" Andie wrinkled her nose. "He's a pompous jerk."

"What did he say, though?" Lily asked urgently.

Andie sighed. "Alright, he said you were 'disillusioned and were simply having your nightly fantasy about him'"

Lily gasped in anger.

"And to think I liked him for a second!" she cried furiously. Then she stared at Andie, rather helplessly.

"What to do now, Andromeda?"

"Simple, Lil. Break up with your imaginary relationship with Diggory. Break it brutally. Summon your inner actress and make sure James Potter and Cynthia Goodwin are watching."

Lily strode into the great hall once again. She glanced at the large straight ahead and noticed that the hands were at five to nine.

Five minutes to give her performance. Lily gulped hard. She had never done this sort of thing before. This was Andie area of expertise, but this was got to be done. By her, that too.

She strolled with an air of superior confidence, towards Amos and his friends.

"Hi, Amos," she said coolly.

Amos looked up, his blue eyes blinking repeatedly. He regarded her with amusement and uncertainty.

"Hi, Headgirl."

The entire Hufflepuff table chuckled as if Amos had uttered a wonderful, little joke.

Lily took a seat and stared Amos earnestly in the eye.

"This is not working, Amos," she said softly, but loud enough, so Cynthia Goodwin, who was seated beside Amos could listen.

"For both of us. There is not magic between us, Amos. It is lost."

Amos began laughing. "Lily, what are you-"

Lily stood up, towering over him, her expression had swiftly changed to one of mottled purple fury.

"LISTEN! _Don't make this, difficult!_ I saw you kissing her!" Lily gestured at Cynthia, wearing an expression of distaste.

Cynthia's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. "What the-"

James, who had been prying on the scene, ambled forward. If he was surprised, he did not show it.

"Cynthia!" he exclaimed instead.

"Last night was wonderful, Amos…but I've realised now…you're nothing but a big-headed jerk!"

The Hufflepuffs gasped in unison. Lily had thrown a dagger at their hero.

"Cynthia…I'm afraid…you're not my type, after all," James said loudly. Cynthia tried to protest, but her cries were in vain. She looked guiltier than boy caught stealing apples. And Amos looked dumbstruck; he tried to speak, defend himself, deny Lily's false accusations, but words failed him.

'I think that's settled, then," Andie called loudly, commanding the attention of the curious onlookers, "Lily Evans and Amos Diggory have broken up over Cynthia Goodwin, not James Potter."

And so the story changed….


	7. Contemplation

**Chapter Six**

**Contemplation**

"I heard that Cynthia was just playing with James to make Amos jealous," Gen told Lily, as the two sat by the fire in the Gryffindor common room doing absolutely nothing at all.

It was Friday night and the common room was quite empty. Andie had gone to Hogosmeade with Sirius and was probably having the time of her life. Lily and Gen had decided to stay back. Lily remembered the last time she had remained had Hogwarts. Surprisingly, she smiled. She had never thought she would smile at that horribly embarrassing incident ever. Yet, she just had. Truly strange.

Lily checked her watch. Ten minutes to eight. Soon, she'd have to patrol the halls with James. James….

She felt weird about him. One moment he was completely against her and the next moment, he was siding with her. Lily didn't know what to expect, but she knew she had to talk with him. Thank him.

She cringed almost involuntarily; that would be no easy task.

Suddenly, Amelia Moon came barging in through the portrait hole, her expression glum.

"How did you get in here?" inquired Gen, slightly stunned, for Amelia was a Ravenclaw.

"I'm a Ravenclaw," Amelia answered coolly. She sank into a plum-coloured armchair, sighing heavily.

"Why-what-why are you-?" Lily managed, finally, when none of them spoke. Amelia glanced meaningfully at Gen.

"Oh fine, oh fine," Gen grumbled and wandered off in search of Remus.

"The potion didn't work-he hates me even more! It's horrible." Amelia finally burst out.

"Oh," was all Lily could say.

"You don't understand-" Amelia cried defensively, looking especially fierce in her Viking boots and black-rimmed eyes.

"Well, I can't help you if you don't tell me who it is-"

Amelia threw a Lily smouldering glare. "Normally, Lily, I would, but this is unbearably, beyond belief embarrassing."

Lily sighed. "You're being quite difficult, Amelia."

"I know-"

An awkward silence ensued between them.

"I don't think he likes me because I'm so strange, you know…" Amelia suddenly ventured, her voice, hesitant. It was the first time she sounded so unconfident of herself.

Lily did not dare ask who it was, but her curiosity grew only more. "Well…if you could-"

"NO, Lily! Bloody hell!" Amelia nearly shouted, rising from the chair. "Sorry, you're a good friend-you really are. To put up with me in this state and all." She then added, hurriedly before dashing out the portrait hole.

Lily glanced at her watch. "Oh no!" she gasped. She was very late for patrol duty. She quickly grabbed her wand and scurried after Amelia.

She arrived at the Library, the staring point, panting and puffing. To her surprise James was leaning lazily against the door, his arm crossed.

In her hurry, Lily tumbled over her untied laces. She stumbled forward into James. His sweater was warm and slightly scratchy, Lily observed as she quickly pulled away.

"Oh…I'm sorry," she said, a shade of crimson. She stooped down to tie her laces.

"Double-knot them," James advised, his eyes twinkling.

"Okay," Lily mumbled; her heart heaved an internal sigh.

Her brains screamed for help. Her hands and feet didn't know what direction to take. Her face focused on the floor. Finally, her mouth spoke.

"Um…so you're here…."

_How brilliant, Lily, well done!_ Lily thought inwardly.

James nodded. "McGonagall said I should pitch in more."

"Oh, I see,"

_So, it isn't because you're finally becoming a decent human being. _

"So, what do I do?" James asked Lily, casually.

_How very kind of you! Noticing your shiny Head Boy badge at last, are you?_

"Just patrol the halls. Tell students to go back to their common rooms…" Lily's voice faltered. Why did she feel so self-conscious around him? Her hands were all clammy.

James grinned wickedly, his hazel eyes gleaming. "So, I get to tell off the itty-bitty first-years?"

"No," Lily said sternly, "you should be kind to them, James. Remember when you were a first-year?"

James's expression dimmed. "Aww…Evans…you take the word 'fun' and use it with words like safety and responsibility until fun isn't 'fun' anymore."

Lily felt stung. Okay, maybe she wasn't a wild, party animal and cared out safety and duty. That didn't make her bad person!

They began walking down the corridor. Lily still felt a bit cold toward James, so she walked ahead, telling passing students to go back to their common rooms.

James…did absolutely nothing at all! He watched her lazily, claiming he was examining the theory behind patrolling. Lily just wanted the session to end. It was much too awkward.

Then they came across a couple, snogging in the corner, behind a statue.

"Okay," Lily, began dryly. "Break it up, please."

The couple paid her no attention. James laughed, watching Lily amusedly.

"Shut up!" she cried, "and who it kill you to help me?"

"Yes, but I bet I can stop them," he declared, stepping forward.

"Okay, stop!" James shouted the tangled two.

The boy, a sandy haired sixth year, eyed James with contempt. "Why, Potter, I thought you were one of us. Not with her-"

"Collins, just take your girlfriend and leave," James said irritably.

The boy's eyes flickered over to Lily. "She's lured you to the good side, eh? I bet you'll take her to the Astronomy Tower, tonight and no one would stop you- Don't be a hypocrite, Potter!"

"Collins!" James practically hissed, grabbing the boy's collar. The girl with him, simpered, her eyes wide.

"Don't you dare say a word about Lily! 50 points off!"

"Let go of me!" Collins gasped.

Lily reached out for James's arm. "James," she said gently.

"10 points off for cheek," she said coldly to the boy named Collins. "And leave!" Lily ordered him and his girlfriend. They scuttled down the hall.

James was still frowning.

"Don't mind him, Lily, he's a-"

"It's okay, I understand." Lily interrupted. "I know what you do in your free time, James," Lily paused heavily, before she continued. " I'm frankly amazed you're still Head Boy."

"Hey!" James protested at first. Then he shot her a small smile. "Frankly. So am I."

A hush fell between them. However, Lily noticed in slight surprise, not a tense type of hush.

"Thank you." Lily suddenly said. It was now time to make amends.

"For what?" James inquired blankly.

They were standing awfully close. She could feel his warm breath on her skin. She shook her head distractedly and took a step back.

"For today. For backing me up about Diggory…." Lily spoke tentatively.

James shrugged, but Lily noticed, he was looking at the ground.

"No problem-" He tried to sound nonchalant, but failing quite miserably.

"And also about Snape, the other day-"

James simply nodded, gazing at her openly. "Don't you get sick of it? The prejudice?"

Lily sighed, pondering upon his question. "I'm muggle born. I'm used it by now,"

Another frown appeared on James's forehead.

"It's not right. You're just as smart or good as any pureblood."

Lily couldn't help smiling. "Is that a compliment, Potter?" she teased, her green eyes dancing.

"Maybe…" said James, twirling his wand absent-mindedly

Lily smiled, a warm feeling entering her heart. She wished she could lock it in.

"So, does this mean, we're friends?" she forged ahead into unspoken area.

"Weren't we always?" he teased, pocketing the wand.

Lily pretended to consider it. "Hmmm…well there was that incident where you stole my clothes and left me n-… by the lake-" Lily avoided thinking about the fact that she had been naked.

They both laughed, James a little uncertain.

"Hey, I'm sorry…! I was a jerk, back then."

"James, it was a _week_ ago," Lily cried, her hands on her hips.

You're coming to the Quidditch match, aren't you?" James suddenly enquired, pocketing his wand.

Lily nodded, a grinning tugging at the corners of her mouth. She couldn't believe things were going so well between them. "Andie is on it, so, of course!" she responded, not wanting James to misunderstand.

James pouted. "Well, so is _yours truly_!"

"Of course…I'll be there," Lily promised.


	8. The Lions Triumph

**Chapter Seven**

**The Lions Triumph**

October arrived with a tremendous rainfall of leaves, gusty winds and the first Quidditch match of season. The Gryffindor lions versus the Slytherin serpents; excitement was in the air! Lily felt it as she filed into the Quidditch Pitch, that windy Saturday afternoon along with a sulky Amelia and the always amiable, Gen.

Lily, the observant friend she was (partly dying from curiosity) noticed Amelia sneaking peeks toward the masses of royal blue, which indicated the Ravenclaw stands.

Lily also observed, with slight amusement, that this was the first time Amelia Moon had taken it upon herself to dress practically normal. _Very strange_.

Lily eyed Amelia's 'practically normal' attire, a ratty orange sweater that made her pale skin a few shades paler, topped off with a leprechaun green hat that created a very 'carrotty effect'. Amelia's long golden hair was left loose to all its glory, only to be surpassed by Amelia's notorious pair of carrot earrings that dangled from her earlobes. Amelia had also donned on her Hogwarts skirt, a pleated grey thing with no character and a pair of knee length white socks, offset, however, by her chunky, brown gardening shoes.

Just then, Amelia whipped around to face Lily, her expression anxious.

"It's my outfit, right?" she questioned, her eyes wide.

Lily cleared her throat. Gen turned to face Amelia.

"Well, if you want to make a good impression on lover boy, you'd better take off the sweater, roll down the socks, rip off those earrings, loose the hat and then you might accepted into the realm of the relatively normal. Except those shoes you borrowed from Professor Kettleburn, hide them," said Gen, speaking very fast (sounding very much like Andie) and pointing to each of Amelia's fatal fashion flaws as she spoke. Amelia scowled.

"Thank you, very much." She said in a forced manner, as she removed her precious earrings, glaring the daggers at Lily.

"I didn't tell her anything," Lily protested, "you're pretty obvious, Amelia!" 

Amelia's scowl deepened further, as Gen's eyes flicked toward the sky,

"Shush," she hissed, "Andie's up."

The trio, of course, had come to watch Andie perform her fabulous moves as Gryffindor's seeker, though Lily had secretly come to watch James, as well. She hadn't told the others about their nearly civil exchange, simply because she knew they wouldn't react well. Andie would be flabbergasted at Lily's sudden change in mind and go on for weeks about sticking to the game plan (revenge in this case). Gen would simply be betrayed, for now she despised everything to do with James Potter. Amelia couldn't care less because of her recently acquired obsession with her Ravenclaw 'lover boy', whose identity, Amelia still obstinately refused to reveal.

Lily tucked a strand of her auburn hair behind her ear, her eyes following Gen's gaze. A flock of red-robed figures were gathered at one side, their expressions intent. Lily spotted, Andie right away, her mass of frizzy, mad-scientist hair standing up at odd directions, her long, tanned fingers clutching her Comet Two-Sixty and the her scarlet cloak billowing behind her.

"Why is Potter waving at us?" Gen exclaimed with obvious disdain.

Lily immediately realised Gen was right as she watched James in his scarlet uniform, one hand on his broom and the free one waving at them. Specifically at Lily. Gen's lip curled.

"If this is some ridiculous prank-"

Lily felt her face burn hot. "Oh, he's probably waving at someone behind us…" she responded weakly. She felt torn apart and the funny thing was, James wasn't even her friend. They had just finally become civil to one and another. Lily looked down at her feet, until she heard Madam Hooch blow shrilly on the whistle.

Sirius Black's magnified voice echoed throughout the vast pitch.

"The first, exciting match of the season is just about to begin. Gryffindor and Slytherin, head to head for this year's Quidditch cup… And this year, the Gryffindors have a ruddy brilliant team, Towers, Brown, Clemens, Potter, Doon, Davies and Doyle!" Sirius exclaimed as the Gryffindors swept into the centre.

Andie blew her signature kiss and grinned from ear to ear. Lily inwardly thought, she wouldn't be surprised if Andie played for England one day. As Sirius introduced the Slytherin team, well equipped in size rather than skill, Lily glanced up at James. She shot him a small smile, which he probably couldn't even see, but helped her feel better, anyway.

"And they're up! The nasty little Bludgers are ready to do some damage. The golden snitch is out! And finally-_yes_-Madam Hooch has released the Quaffle! Let the game begin!" commentated Sirius excitedly.

The players broke out in different directions as the Quaffle spiralled upwards.

"Gryffindor in possession, Violet Brown, chaser extraordinaire has got it-oof-Digby, Slytherin-you nasty maggot!" Sirius gasped indignantly.

Lily flinched as the Bludger sent flying, smashed right into her wrist. The Quaffle slipped through her fingers, for she could not bear its weight any longer. The Quaffle was captured in seconds by Slytherin's very own…

"Regullus Black in possession," Sirius announced, his words dripping with disdain.

Lily focused on the little green blur shooting toward the goal posts. The two Gryffindor beaters tailed him, bats ready to strike. Indeed, when Doon finally managed to strike a bludger at the Slytherin chaser, it only missed Black by a mere inch.

Black flung the Quaffle at the left, unguarded post. Clemens the Gryffindor keeper, tried desperately to save it, but failed.

"10 points for Slytherin," declared Sirius without much enthusiasm. That earned him a reproachful glance, from Professor Slughorn, the Slytherin head as the green and silver masses erupted into hysterical cheers.

Lily groaned along with Gen and Amelia.

"Stupid Slytherin," she hissed, bad-naturedly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Andie dodged a bludger herself, her eyes darting around nervously

Lily lifted the binoculars strung around her neck to her eyes.

"Potter has the quaffle-he's heading over to the goal posts-" Sirius's excited banter filled her ears, as Lily glimpsed James athletic flit before the lens, confidently zooming over to the posts.

For a second, James surveyed the stands, rather stupidly. A couple of sneering Slytherins swept by him, nearly knocking the red ball out of his arms. James snapped back to attention, passing the quaffle to nearby Felix Towers, the seventh year chaser.

Felix hurled it, almost blindly into one of the posts. Much to crowd's surprise, as well as his own, it travelled right through.

"Gryffindor scores!" Sirius crowed, unafraid voice the victory.

Furious, the Slytherin lashed back, scoring multiple times, until the score was 70-20 (Brown had sneaked in a goal.) Lily felt bad to say this, but partly of the blame lay on James. He seemed curiously out of it that day, wandering aimlessly, fumbling on throws, completely missing passes and acting very unlike the star Quidditch player he usually was. Gryffindor was losing miserably.

"What's with that Potter?" cried Amelia as once again James swerved dangerously to avoid a bludger.

Even Sirius had got accustomed to shouting warnings at him in his magnified manner much to the Slytherin's annoyance. Andie, on the other hand, face impassive, flitted about, her eyes in search of the nearly invisible snitch. She was a speedy flier with a good sense of direction, unlike Lily, who could barely read a map. So far, though Andie hadn't managed to seize the snitch and declare k Gryffindor victory.

Finally, James, himself, came to his senses and called a time-out. Lily knew what she had to do.

And that was why Lily found herself standing at the Gryffindor change room area, her fingers intertwined in her nervousness.

"James," she said hesitantly, as another gust of wind swept by the crowd.

James whirled around in surprise and looked down at his feet. "Lily," he said, shock etched on his face. His shock turned into a mask of annoyance.

"Yes, _Lily Evans_, the girl who can't _bear_ to acknowledge her presence-so it might damage her _reputation_, some how," he continued, his voice chilly with cynicism.

Lily didn't know how to respond, so there was a moment in which, she toyed with her hair and James kept glaring at her.

"Well, I just came to say…keep up the _good playing_, Potter," said Lily, adopting her old technique of sarcasm on James.

James frowned. "Have you come here to mock me, Evans? Cause I really am _not_ in the mood-" James turned around abruptly, his back facing Lily, about to walk away.

Instinctively, Lily grabbed hold of his arm. "Wait," she called, slightly desperate. It was for the good of Gryffindor, she reminded herself.

"You really are a brilliant player…_usually_. Why not today?" Lily finally managed.

To her surprise, James actually blushed, a pale rose colour, which she found extremely endearing.

"Is _it me_!" Lily tried desperately. "Is the thought of _me_ intimidating _you_?" she continued, urging James to get angry with her.

James's mouth hardened into a thin line as his eyebrow creased together. "What makes you think that?" he questioned gruffly.

Lily shrugged, trying to hide her smile. "I I-dunno…"

"Don't flatter yourself, Evans-you're not that pretty…." James spat nastily.

Lily's smiled widened as James stalked out of the change rooms and into the windy pitch.

"Well, I think things are looking up for Gryffindor now that James Potter is cured…" Lily said to herself.

James shot into the air, with a determined look, her hazel eyes flashing. He grabbed the quaffle as soon as Madam Hooch re-released it and zoomed toward the scoring area. He passed to Violet Brown, who in turn cleanly tossed it to Felix Towers. Felix faced James and instinctively aimed the red ball toward him. James effortlessly caught it and hurled it right at middle post and right under Slytherin, Cezik's nose.

"SCORE! The lions!" Sirius hooted as the Gryffindor spectators cheered in relief.

Lily smiled.

Gen gazed at her open-mouthed. "Lil, what _did_ you say to him?"

Lily shrugged a few more times as James scored or assisted a couple more goals for Gryffindor.

"And Potter seems to be on fire as the Lions and the Serpents, now seem to be tied!" proclaimed Sirius elatedly. A mixture of boos and cheers met this statement as James took a mock bow.

Then, suddenly, a flash of scarlet, which Lily recognised as her friend, Andie zoomed downwards, tailed by Slytherin's seeker, Fobbs.

The crowd gasped in unison.

"Andromeda Black spots the snitch!" Sirius reported the obvious, as Andie continued to descend at a dizzying pace.

Gen was on her feet. "Go! Andie!" she hollered. Lily jumped to her feet as well, along with Amelia. They began screaming words of encouragement, which mostly translated to nonsense as a strong gust of gale howled forcefully in their ears.

In the last shocking second, Andie pulled out of the dive, leaving the Slytherin seeker to plummet to his sorry fate. And he did, with a gut-wrench thump, the crack of a bone (a broken nose, no doubt) and a sympathetic groan from the crowd.

"A wronski feint! Andie Black just performed a _fantastic_ wronski feint!" Sirius jabbered in excitement, waving his Gryffindor scarf- a sign of their so-close-you-could-smell-it victory.

In that moment as everyone watched, awe-struck, Slytherins, horror-struck, Andie encompassed the golden snitch (fluttering wings and all) in the warmth of her hand.

The rest of the team encircled her, their faces flushed and happy and delightfully glad. For at last, this dramatic match was over and now they could all trek back to castle, winners.

"And the lions triumph!" announced Sirius triumphantly.

The sea of spectators exploded.

The next minute, Andie tumbled off her broom.


	9. Time Ticks On

**Chapter Eight**

**Time Ticks On**

The euphoria of winning the Quidditch match lasted exactly a week and three days. Andie enjoyed immensely, for it seemed, she had replaced James's Potter position as star player on the team. She would tell anyone the tale of her nearly fateful feint and that she could very well be poor laid-up Anthony Fobbs, with a severely bloodied nose and several broken bones. Lily watched amusedly, as Andie waltzed over to Sirius, snitch in hand, armed with another heroic version of her story to thoroughly irritate her beloved cousin.

Although Sirius had seen the whole thing, he let Andie do the talking with a bemused expression on his face. He knew well enough not to interrupt his enthusiastic cousin.

"Andie and Sirius would make the perfect pair, don't you think?" said Lily to Gen one Tuesday evening, as they sat cross-legged on the hearth rug in their dorm-room.

Gen was gathering her brown hair into a messy pony-tail.

"They're cousins, Lily" she gaped, collapsing onto her bed.

Lily laughed. "So, in two weeks there is that Hogosmeade trip, huh?" she inquired, glancing into the mirror, brushing her glossy auburn hair as she spoke.

"Hmm…I'm going with Remus. Did I tell you that?" Gen said suddenly, her face colouring an interesting pink shade.

Lily nearly dropped her brush in shock. "Well, well, that's… good." she finally managed, "This place is really getting infested with cute couples, don't you think?"

A second later she regretted saying it. It was so tactless; she should be happy for Gen , not sour and moody.

"Really, Lily," Gen pouted, "you should be more open to love,"

"I'm open to love!" Lily protested, placing her brush on the dresser and turning to face Gen. "I just don't think snogging with your boyfriend is good display of it."

Gen sighed heavily. "Lily, for your information, Remus hasn't even kissed me! I had enough trouble getting him to ask me to Hogosmeade in the first place."

Lily pursed her lips.

"That's the problem! Why doesn't the girl ask the guy? It would have been a lot easier if you just been forthright about it."

Gen leaned against her pillows, hugging her knees. "You'll understand, Lily Evans, when you're in love."

"Hah! That'll be possible when pigs fly." Lily replied, in an unusually sour mood.

Gen simply groaned as Lily flicked the lights outs with a swish of her wand, signalling the end of the conversation.

Her thoughts, however, continued to haunt her in bed, for Lily didn't instantaneously fall asleep as soon as she hit the pillow. She really couldn't believe, Gen, her shy Gen was going on her first date. Lily felt guilty, she had always thought Gen would always be there, a friend to fall back on, but now she was going out with Remus.. Her thoughts drifted…to James.

He had generally avoided Lily, never in the common room with the rest of the Marauders. It wasn't a tense, angry kind of avoidance, however. He had probably just realised what Lily had done and was embarrassed for it. Lily, in turn hadn't approached him either. With a dry smile, she wondered if they were better to one and other with distance.

Lily's eyelids drooped and drifted into a sleep.

A week more of October passed without much ado, Lily concentrated on her studies and spent a lot of time with a slightly perkier Amelia. Time ticked on.

Then, as the last week of October pulled up ready to prepare for a dramatic finish, things began to happen.

A new student arrived, much to everyone's surprise. Genevieve Thierry, a transfer student from Beauxbatons had come to complete her seventh year at Hogwarts. No one knew why she had come to Hogwarts, or why the Headmaster had even permitted her to join.

Genevieve, instantly declared by the sorting hat a Ravenclaw, had flowing white-blond hair, wide-set blue-grey eyes and a smile that knocked the Hogwarts' male population down flat. Indeed, Genevieve was the envy of every girl in Hogwarts. She was perfect, in their opinion. Along with her good looks, she was also very smart and had a thick French accent that was to 'die for'.

Andie eyed the pretty blonde with contempt, as Sirius ran to pull out a chair for her. They were all having dinner in the great hall, on the third day after Genevieve's arrival.

"So obvious…she's a Veela," she muttered mutinously, stabbing at her steak, rather viciously.

Gen glanced at Genevieve as the girl threw her head back, her musical laughter filling the great hall.

"She's flawless…" she declared in a revered tone.

Lily snorted; she did not like Genevieve much more than the others.

"No one is flawless, Gen, that would be impossible. I sure Veela girl has some flaw or the other."

Lily gazed at the willowy French girl through narrowed eyes.

"What are you so angry about? You don't have a boyfriend!" Andie proclaimed, rather tactlessly.

"Neither do you!" Lily shot back fiercley. "Unless you posess less than cousinly feeling towards , Sirius!"

Andie hissed in response. "How dare you accuse me of liking-"

She cut off herself, as she glared at Sirius. "Look at him! I'm ashamed to call him my cousin," she muttered, as Sirius poured more pumpkin juice into his already overflowing goblet.

"And _look _at him…" Gen cried in despair. Remus sat in his seat, his food untouched, his mouth open, staring at Genevieve as if she were a goddess.

"That is what I call _inhuman! _Professor Flitwick is always praising her as if she's some angel. All the teachers do!" said Lily.

This was true, Genevieve was incredibly intelligent, always beating Lily in tests, assignments, or simply responding to a question.

It made Lily furious. Studies, especially Charms was her thing and Genevieve had strode into Hogwarts and grabbed it out her hands effortlessly. It didn't help that all the guys were gaga over her. Including James, Lily observed. He was acting worse than an overeager puppy. For some reason, Lily felt giving him a good knock on the head. She took a quick sip of water, ignoring the mouth-watering dishes before her to watch James as he talked with her.

Genevieve threw back her magnificent blonde hair backward a couple of times as she laughed a tinkly laugh. Sometimes she would speak, her voice rich and heavy. It was the sort of voice that lulled Lily to sleep, but it was also the kind of voice you fought to remain awake, so you could listen more.

"You are too, funnee, Monsieur Pottair. I am laughing always weeth you!" announced Genevieve as James finished off another joke.

Genevieve caught Lily's gaze, and swiftly rose from her chair. "Leely!" she called as Lily cringed.

"You must come ovair here. We can practice our szpinning charms togethair! And James iz most hilariousz-"

Lily had grimaced inwardly earlier that day, when Professor Flitwick had placed Genevieve and Lily together for a project. He described it as a strong partnership.

Lily described as a match made in hell.

Reluctantly, she dragged her feet three paces to the left. She was greeted with James Potter's cool brown eyes and Genevieve's obliviousness.

"Well, Leely, this iz James. I'm szure you'll get on admeerably," Genevieve declared.

Lily held back her laughter.

Genevieve gazed at the two of them expectantly. "Well, what air you waiting for? Wair are your mannairs? Shake zhee hands!"

Biting her lip, Lily extended one pale hand towards James.

James, unsure, yet a tiny smile tugging at his mouth, took it.

"Pleased to meet you." The shake was warm and firm and Lily felt at loss as he quickly let go.

"Ah! Zhats _bettair_!" Genevieve exclaimed heartily, pushing Lily onto the bench alongside the long table.

"Now, Leely, lets get started. James, shoo, shoo!" Genevieve gestured at James, grinning. Lily hid another smile; the girl was quite amusing when she wasn't annoying.

James moved away, his hand running through his mass of black waves. This was the time to approach him, Lily realised and de-awkward their situation.

"Um…Genevieve, maybe we can do this later. I have to talk-I have to do something…." Lily said hurriedly, zipping her bag and slinging it over her shoulder.

"James!" she called, waving frantically. James turned, her hazel eyes found her and widened in surprise.

"What, _Leely?_ After two weeks of solid silence, come to make more sarcastic remarks?"

Lily decided to let it go and laughed, falling into step with him.

"I just figured you wanted to avoid me…since the match." She looked at him. He seemed completely blank.

"Why… did I perform that badly, you didn't want anything to do with me?" he inquired curiously.

Lily chuckled, hardly believing James could be so thick. "No, remember that talk we had at time out…"

Seeing James's expression, she stopped. Of course, she was so stupid-he didn't want to remember it.

"Never mind."

The walked in silence, passing a gaggle of sixth year girls.

"D'you want to go to Hogosmeade with me this weekend?" Lily asked, on sudden impulse. When she was greeted with silence, she forged on, "well, because I don't have anyone to go with…. I mean Andie is going with Sirius and Gen with Remus and if you and I go…we can go all together. Like a six-some."

Lily tripped over her words; everything was coming out all jumbled and garbled. This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

James stared at her, her arms crossed and his eyebrows raised. "So, like a date?"

"No…." Lily managed, after she had recovered from initial shock, "just like a group thing…" She giggled- a rare occasion.

And the most irritating thin-James simply stared. He stared at her for the longest time and she felt embarrassed and looked down at her tattered shoes. She thought of random things, like, maybe she could fix her shoes and ideas of her Charms project.

Then finally, in what seemed eternity, but in reality was a matter of minutes, James answered.

"Sorry, I'm going with Genevieve."

James shot her an apologetic look before striding away.

He left an open-mouthed Lily. If she was more shocked, her jaw would touch the ground.

She had just been _rejected!_

Rejected by James Potter. James Potter, whom everyone claimed was pining away for her, waiting to ask her out. Who had already asked her out a million times and she had declined every single time.

And the funny thing was, she wasn't even planning to ask him out in the first place.


	10. Soul Exchange

**Chapter Nine**

**Soul Exchange**

Lily was officially on the quest to discover Genevieve's flaw.

_Anything!_ Lily cried inwardly as Genevieve strutted into Transfiguration that morning-fashionably late, of course.

She dropped her books beside Lily and greeted in her loudest voice. "Good morning, Professair McGonagall!"

The stern professor eyed Genevieve grimly. "Take a seat, Miss Thierry. I will no tolerate tardiness."

"Oui, Mademoiselle," she bowed deeply and Lily bit her tongue to stop her laughter.

Professor McGonagall sniffed as continues to teach the class on Daemons.

Lily dipped her quill in the inkwell, scratching down notes.

"You _need_ zhee notes?" Genevieve questioned incredulously, in a most condescending manner. "I remembair everythink she is saying."

Lily's response was no response. She felt bitter toward Genevieve because of the whole James incident. She had somehow got it fixed in her head that James would always pine for her and never go out with anyone else. Yet, now perfectly immaculate Genevieve had stolen him from her as well. It was petty and juvenile; she knew that. Still, she continued to nurse the grudge.

Hogwarts at that time of the year, was undergoing it's yearly dressing as the house of Halloween. A neat line of gruesomely carved pumpkins lined the walls. Lit up pumpkins idly floated in the bewitched ceiling, as well. Large orange and black streamer and banners were hung, announcing the date. Cobwebs were enlarged and the notorious clamping hands acted as delicate candle holders. Knights and any other of the ghouls of Hogwarts acted as escorts to students. And of course, there was the usual assortment of tongue-twisting candy at every table in the great hall. Lily used to love Halloween, but once you found out you were a witch…the magic died down a bit.

This year, however, the Headmaster had prepared a surprise. There was to be a Halloween Masquerade Ball right after the Hogosmeade trippers returned. This turn of events replaced the usual Halloween feast, although food would still be present at the ball. Lily was not particularly pleased at this announcement. A ball meant she would have to find a date and she was absolutely rubbish at finding those…. Lily sighed packing up her books.

The halls were jammed with people, because all the other routes were tinged with the disgusting aroma of a stink pellet (the handiwork of the immature Marauder, of course.) So in frustration, Lily decided to take a shorter route to the dungeons for her Potions class with Professor Slughorn. After descending a couple of flights of stairs, she ended up beside Jules Lovegood.

"Oh, Jules, hello," Lily greeted. The gangly fair-haired boy fixed his misty grey eyes upon Lily.

"Do you believe in sodevors?"

Lily, who was used to Jules's peculiar manners, nodded.

"Sure…but _what _are they?"

"Nothing you'd want to know. Did you hear the Slytherins have started up their own society, now?" Jules questioned in an offhand way.

Lily shrugged, glancing around distractedly.

They finally arrived in the nick of time because Jules was a slow walker and Lily felt bad to abandon him.

She plunked her books on the nearest table. A moment later she regretted it because Genevieve and James were seated suffocatingly close.

"Tardee-ness weel not be tolee-raated!" singsonged Genevieve in Lily's ear. To her surprise, Lily found herself grinning.

"Oui, oui, mademoiselle!" she heard herself replying.

Genevieve flashed her a pearly smile.

A few minutes later, the beefy, bumbling Professor Slughorn shuffled in. "Good afternoon, class!"

"Good afternoon, Professor Slughorn," the class chorused back.

Slughorn dropped a stack of papers atop his desk and paused to survey the class through his watery grey eyes. He was a short, stubby man with very round features and a balding pumpkin shaped head.

Lily didn't worry about potions much, Professor Slughorn had chosen Lily to join the Slug Club year ago, which pushed her into his favourites category. His boasting about former students and his connections irked her bit, but as along as she got by Potions without much trouble…Lily glanced a few desks over, Genevieve was whispering something into James's year. She wondered if Genevieve would be part of the Slug Club, James already was.

"I have something very exciting for today," claimed Slughorn, clapping his hands in eagerness. Lily leaned forward interestedly, ignoring Genevieve's persistent tittering-a response to something James said.

"Who can tell me what Spirsol Cantaverti is?"

Lily's hand flew up so fast, she was positive she had defeated Genevieve this time. When she glanced one seat over, she realised Genevieve wasn't even paying attention-scribbling something on the edge of her parchment. Lily felt a twinge of annoyance as she answered in a dull voice.

"It's the exchange of two human souls for a period of thirteen minutes. Sometimes, if done incorrectly, the tricky potion can be fatal."

"That is why we must not tell the headmaster!" Slughorn joked. When no one laughed, he continued, "you'll be making the potion, but only trying my samples."

Relief ensued throughout the classroom. "Good work, Lily. Take 10 points for Gryffindor, although I wish it were Slytherin!"

"10! Isn't that a bit too much!" whined Amos Diggory, who had been giving Lily an extremely cold shoulder after the whole Cynthia Goodwin incident. And Lily supposed, she deserved it.

"Now, we'll trying the sample first, before we tackle this immensely difficult potion-yes?"

Genevieve had raised her hand high in the air. "But sir, what iz zhee point?"

"Pardon?" begged Slughorn.

"Zhee point of zhis potion?" repeated Genevieve in bewilderment, gesturing at the blackboard where Slughorn's instructions had magically appeared.

"Why woold I like to switch zhee souls?"'

"The point…" pondered Slughorn, stroking him walrus moustache, "the point is you bring up a _very good_ point, Miss-?"

"Thierry. Miss Genevieve Thierry," Genevieve replied, bobbing her silvery head.

"The point is so you can feel how another classmate feels," spoke Lily in measured tones.

"Wouldn't that be an invasion of their privacy?" James Potter stared at her cheekily.

Genevieve winked obviously at James. "You will be much debated, James Pottair!" she declared.

Lily rolled her eyes. "The potion is an assignment. Now why don't we all be quiet and just do it!" she exclaimed, her calm, collected exterior finally crumbling.

"Leely!" Genevieve cried, "you ruined our fun!"

"Yeah, Evans…lighten up!" James backed Genevieve.

"No! Lily is right!" exclaimed Amelia loyally, in an attempt to support Lily.

"Yeah!" echoed Andie and Gen.

James just scoffed, "Evans's cheer squad!"

Professor Slughorn beamed kindly down at her. "Thank you, Lily."

Lily glanced down at her notebook, fiddling with her quill; for some reason she did not feel as if she had done a good thing.

"Alright…now I'll be divide you into pairs-"

_Noooooo_

When this statement was met with groans, Slughorn added hastily, "I have my reasons and they are perfectly valid-now, where was I…yes-"

His gaze fell upon Lily. "Miss Evans, how about you and…"

_Not Genevieve. Not Genevieve._

"Mr. Potter…?"

_Not James. Not James._

Lily sighed; that chanting really didn't do her any good now. She reluctantly shuffled over to James, who didn't seem too pleased with the arrangements either.

"Hey it's only switching souls for about thirteen minutes…" he said jokingly to Sirius. "Now I'll know how Evans feels."

"I prefer Lily," Lily informed him coldly as Sirius moved away. James shrugged in response.

She didn't understand him-one minute he liked her and the next minute he loathed her. One minute he was siding with her and the next minute he was against her. _What was wrong with him?_ Couldn't he think clearly? Did Lily have to do the thinking for both of them! All in all she felt very confused.

As Slughorn requested Jules Lovegood to carefully pass out the samples, Lily observed the pairs. Genevieve and Andie made a mournful match. Andie detested Genevieve even more than she detested Arithmancy…and that was saying something. And Genevieve was shooting a sorrowful in James's direction. Gen surrendered her soul to Remus gladly and vice versa. Lily felt a stab of jealousy as she watched the two, making doe-eyes at each other. Her eyes shifted over to Amelia who was reluctantly trudging over to Sirius Black, with a doleful expression on her face. Lily felt, Professor Slughorn ought to refine his skills in matchmaking.

She sighed heavily, receiving the sample Jules passed her and handling it cautiously. It came in a rose coloured flask and bubbled suspiciously.

"Now all you have to do is, face your partner, commit their face to memory-you must _not_ forget…."

Lily and James stared dully at each other. Lily's emerald green eyes roved his oval shaped face, flitting across his wavy jet-black hair, long straight nose, hazel coloured eyes (which seemed slightly murky at the moment) and full mouth. James did the same, seizing Lily with those powerful eyes.

Lily felt self-conscious. She slouched slightly lower, folding her pale, thin hands primly in her lap, crossing and recrossing legs and biting her bottom lip nervously. She gathered her shock of red hair into a bun at the base of her neck and fiddled with the earring on her left ear as he examined her.

"Now yank out a strand of your hair and add it to the potion," instructed Slughorn.

Lily pulled out a glistening strand of goldish-red, uncorking the flask and adding it along with James's thick black one.

The two watched as their hair dissolved into the rose-coloured concoction.

"Alright, now hold hands and count to three."

James's hand was already out, four long fingers and a wayward thumb directed her way. Lily took it, her heart thudding soundly in her chest, wondering if James felt as awkward as she did.

His warm hand encompassed her own, their fingers intertwining and thumbs layered upon one and other.

"One," said Lily.

"Two," continued James.

"Three!" they said together. James's grip tightened on Lily's hand.

"Repeat this phrase-_Inca sera viva fera_!"

"_INCA SERA VIVA FERA_!" the class shouted simultaneously.

There was a flashing of blinding white light and her vision dissolved, her vision was lost.

Lily felt strange. Her soul was in James's body. How weird was that?

She seemed to know what James was thinking. Seeing. Feeling.

In an odd moment, Lily realised James knew exactly what she was thinking.

Genevieve was right, Lily thought rather guiltily, she simply didn't understand the point.

_Why can't I get over you, Lily?_

Lily, horror-struck realised that was James's thoughts.

_Why does she keep haunting me when I finally convince myself we're done! All we can be are friends-and I even doubt that…But her hand is so nice…and her hair catches light when she tilts her head._

Don't tilt your head, stupid! Lily cursed her body, her brain and wished her soul could return to it.

Lily tried ignoring James's thoughts and decided to see how the world looked like from his view. A few people glowed brighter than others, Sirius, for instance, Remus, too. And_ her._

She watched herself in rapt attention. She looked _good!_

Her skirt seemed shorter and her hair a more luminous, her eyes greener and cheeks rosier. She felt slightly disturbed that James saw her that way. Actually, she felt really disturbed about the whole potion. Each soul should stick to its own body, she decided.

In no time, the thirteen minutes flew by and Lily was glad to see the flash of yellow light signalling her return to her own body.

The class of kind of stirred, thoroughly shaken. Some glanced at each other as if they'd never seen each other in their lives.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Andie, shaking her head.

Remus and Gen smiled secretly at each other.

"So, what did you think?" asked Slughorn, cheerfully. Hands shot up into the air faster than Lily had ever seen them go.

She sneaked a peek at James, only to find that he was gazing at her also.


	11. Before the Ball

**Chapter Ten**

**Before the Ball**

On Thursday night, in the middle of patrol duty, Lily was beckoned to Professor McGonagall's office. She proceeded to the third floor office, right next to the staff room without much thought. When she entered the circular room, with maroon walls, she saw Genevieve Thierry primly seated on a plum coloured armchair facing the stern Transfiguration teacher.

" 'allo, Leely," greeted Genevieve, her silvery-blond curls bouncing. Her mouth stretched into a smile.

Professor McGonagall looked rarely pleased, her wrinkled hands folded across her desk and a tiny smile twitching at her mouth.

"Miss Thierry has come up with a suggestion worth a listen, Miss Evans. What do you say?"

Lily sank into a nearby armchair. "Suggest away…" she began weakly.

"Over to the left more," commanded Lily. Amelia let out a long howl.

"Make up your mind, Evans!" she growled irritably, the top hat perched precariously on her head, threatening to topple over.

"I can't even see the banner…your stupid hats in the way!" Lily shot back, thoroughly annoyed. Genevieve had really ruined it for. She had not only ruined her reputation, stolen the only boy who had ever liked her, she had also landed Lily in charge of Halloween Masquerade Ball.

Decorations, disguises, food, music, complaints, drinks, bands-Lily's mind was swimming. Horrible old Genevieve! And what was she doing?

_Absolutely nothing!_

She couldn't believe McGonagall had actually bought the cheap idea. All Genevieve wanted was to miss class-and she could afford to-being the genius Genevieve she was! And final, Lily had managed to snag Amelia has her helper.

Lily rubbed her temple.

"Why don't you organise a committee?" complained Amelia, fixing the banner with a flick of her wand.

"You are my committee…" replied Lily tiredly. She had done nothing the past few days but, eat, sleep, study and prepare for the insane ball.

"I booked the Weird Sisters and Cadaverous. I posted the invitations everywhere. I ordered the food from 'The Hogosmeade Host', I prepared the dance floor and the outdoor haunted house-I'm freakishly tired, Amelia…" Lily put her head in our arms.

Amelia step down from the table and moved over to comfort Lily. "Not bad for two days work-"

"But today's the dance-in four hours-I don't have a date, I don't have a dress and I'm not done the decorations!" cried Lily in frustration.

Amelia bit her bottom lip. "If it makes you feel any better, I don't have a date either. Lover boy doesn't even care." She paused thoughtfully.

"Why doesn't James help you? Isn't the duty of a headboy to help out the Headgirl?"

Lily snorted. "He's currently snogging it off with Genevieve-" Lily practically spat out the word.

"Okay…I'll help you-" Amelia began seriously.

"Hey, Amelia?" a wispy voice said suddenly. Lily and Amelia wheeled around to see Jules Lovegood standing awkwardly under the great hall doorway.

"Will you go to the ball with me?" He said it very confidently, looking dreamily at Amelia, smiling.

Lily's eyes widened, peering curiously at Amelia.

_Well, _this_ was sudden…!_

To her surprise, Amelia practically floated toward Jules, grinning from ear to ear.

She nodded, her head bobbing vigorously. Her top hat fell off, but she didn't care.

"I'd love to go with you, Jules,"

Jules smiled even more widely, his shaggy dirty-blonde hair falling over his eyes, as he blushed a peachy rose.

"I-I r-r-eally like you, Amelia. I-I've been wanting to ask you out for a long time….I've wanted your more than a pet Golgi," Jules stuttered, in a very Jules like way, his shadowy grey eyes, misting over. Amelia let out a long breath, taking his hands into her own. She then reached up and boldly and kissed Jules right on the mouth.

Lily looked away, smiling, hardly believing it.

When it finally ended, Jules staggered backward.

"_Wow!_" he exclaimed, touching his mouth, slightly bewildered. Amelia smiled shyly at him. Then she glanced over at Lily, she eyes shining.

"C'mon, Jules, we have a hall to decorate!"

"And then a ball to go to!" Jules reminded, as Amelia dragged him over to Lily.

Lily grinned from ear to ear. So this who Amelia secretly liked, she never would have guessed. But she was happy for her friend, anyway.

Now, she had two Ravenclaws and roughly three hours for decorating. It was possible, Lily cheered optimistically.

Two hours later, Lily hurried up to the Gryffindor tower. Thanks to Amelia and Jules, the great hall looked grand and she had two hours left to-one-find a dress or disguise-two-find a date. Lily decided to tackle the dress first, leaving Amelia and Jules to do whatever couples liked to do. But Amelia and Jules were different. Lily smiled; they were both so different and strange in their ways, but oddly together…the fit.

Lily trudged over to the wardrobe in the corner and flung it open, yanking out dresses at random. She decided dresses would be a whole easier than a disguise, anyway.

Lily hated making decisions slowly, so barely thinking she settled upon an emerald green dress that matched her eyes. She pulled it on quickly and then paused to examine it in the mirror. It suited her, she thought in wonderment. It was sleeveless, ankle-length in a free, floaty sort of chiffon material. Lily executed a quick and clumsy pirouette and the dress move fluidly along with her. Her auburn hair cascaded like a fiery waterfall to her shoulders, the vibrant dress set off her penetrating eyes

This was it, Lily decided, as she draped its matching robe around her shoulders. After the robes, Lily unearthed her pair of strappy, gold heels and some beads that complimented the dress. A few minutes later, when she looked presentable, Lily checked her watch worriedly.

Onto Part B-find a date…and she had exactly an hour.

Lily watched anxiously as the Hogosmeade trippers trouped through the entrance doors in packs, their shopping heavy and their money bags, light. Her eyes flitted across each face, her mind making her choices. Then Gen and Remus wandered in, fingers intertwined and faces flushed.

"Hi , Lily!" Gen cried, her small, almond shaped eyes sparkling with unwavering zeal. Remus, a frail looking boy, with pale green eyes, nodded a hello at Lily.

"You did a spectacular job, here, Lil!" Gen exclaimed, examining the great hall with great interest.

"Well, my friends helped me," Lily answered in a clipped tone and then she experienced a pang of regret. She had not meant for it to come out in that way, but she knew Gen was particularly sensitive and would take it in a hurtful way. Before, Lily could say anything else, however, Gen and Remus brushed passed her, Gen wearing a stung expression.

Andie staggered in next, looking unconcerned and with a helpless Sirius at her side.

"Hiya, Lil! Meestress of zhee balls!" Andie waved her hand, imitating a very Genevieve greeting. "Don't you look…(giggle flirty (giggle) today!" giggled Andie, seizing up Lily's outfit with her nut-brown eyes. Lily wondered, if perhaps Andie had gotten her hands on a bottle of Ogden's Firewhiskey. She tittered uncontrollably, whispering slurred nothings in a grimacing Sirius's ear.

"Know any spells-?" inquired Sirius, urgently, supporting Andie." My cousin seems to be quite delirious."

"Sirius, don't be serious! We are the black sheep in the Black family!" Andie cackled derisively, throwing her head backward. Lily shrugged, casting a sympathetic glance at Sirius as they walked away.

Genevieve Thierry flounced a minute later, already dressed in robes of resplendent violet in a gothic style, her silvery, blond curls in an elegant fountain on the top her head. A chandelier of crystals shimmered on the width of her swan-like neck and dangled like gaudy Christmas ornaments on her earlobes. Underneath those robes, Lily noticed a long, lacy black gown with a Victorian collar stiffly enveloping her neck and part of her head. She looked regal, like muggle royalty…in a Halloween costume. Genevieve approached Lily, whipping a sequinned mask from behind her back and placing it over her grey-blue eyes.

"Can _you_ guess what zhee costume tells?" she laughed, removing the mask.

"No idea…" replied Lily, giving Genevieve a tiny smile.

"Me neither-by the way-Leely…." Genevieve waved her hand at the great hall, enthusiastically. "C'est superbe, fantastique, magnifique!"

Genevieve blew a kiss (Lily was glad it wasn't French like the rest of her) and then strutted off to a nearby table to rearrange Lily's bouquet of dead flowers.

James slouched in next, his expression dour and moody. He spotted Genevieve's tall figure in an instant, his nose wrinkling in distaste and his brow furrowing further.

"Hey, James…how did your date with Genevieve go?" Lily stepped forward and asked in a moment of bold impulsiveness. James watched her suspiciously, his face a mask of misery. He heaved a sigh as if encountering Lily was the last thing he needed.

"Perfectly rotten, thank you very much," he muttered, his hands deep in the pockets of his ebony robe and locks of black hair obstructing his vision. He was about to brush past her, Lily could tell, so she forged ahead.

"Why?" she was being awfully nosy.

James sighed again, glaring at her through the curtains of his hair. "Alright, if you insist on being so very interested…Genevieve ditched me. We were at Madam Puddifoot's…everything was going pretty well…not much talking, but…"

Lily could imagine. She blushed a frightful shade of pink; she had never set foot on the linoleum floors of the notorious snog spot.

"Then…I don't know…she starts mumbling in French when I compliment her and then when something more she begins screaming at me-_'Tu es imbecile!'_ I dunno…I ask what's wrong…she throws the napkin in my face and then stalks out. The next thing, I know when I'm coming out of the place she locked her lips with Roderick Davies!" James spits in disgust, his voice changing from bewilderment to anger.

Lily tried to hide her bemused smile, clearing her throat repeatedly. "Well, what did you say that made her so angry?" she inquired, her fingers twitching.

James made no attempt to brush his hair from his eyes and Lily was getting irritated. "I told her she was _beautiful_…."

"How many times?" questioned Lily dryly. Her respect for Genevieve mounted; perhaps the girl wasn't as frivolous and petty as she had first impressed.

"I dunno…a couple…we were kissing! What else do you tell a person while you're kissing!"

_Well, James ,I wouldn't know!_ Thought Lily bitterly. She had never had an actual boyfriend; she didn't feel the need.

"I thought you weren't talking…!" she exclaimed out loud.

James threw up his hands in despair. "We weren't…more like…why am I even telling you this! The point is…I don't have a date for the ball, anymore!" James kicked the brick wall in frustration and then wince, his cheeks burning brightly.

"Owww!" he moaned, clutching his foot.

Lily bit her lip in attempt to imprison her laughter.

"You really are a pathetic fool, James, you know that?" said Lily, placing her hands on her hips as she watched James hop around the front foyer.

"Yes…but you saying it makes me feel loads better-"

James stopped to stare right at Lily. In a flash, Lily remembered his vision of her as their souls exchanged. She felt a shiver run down her spine. The tips of her fingers and toes tingled with…something new. Her heart beat became a loud drumming in her ears. James stood up straight. His eyes change colour, in a sense, the murkiness vanished, and was renewed with a new hope.

His mouth opened-

Her mouth opened-

"Hey…d'you wanna go-?"

"Um…how about we-"

In that special second, they laughed, stepping a tiny bit closer to one another. Neither knew what was going to happen next.

"Ok," Lily consented, suddenly very shy.

James seemed a little awkward too, for once.

"I can't believe it-" he said in slight bewilderment.

"Me neither-" Lily added.

She had just asked and accepted an actual date with James Potter-the one person she had the rockiest relationship with.

"Just as friends, though, right?" said James, "my reputation could be at stake," he then, joked.

Lily chortled and nodded.

"I'll get ready, then…"

"Wait-" Lily reached up on her tip-toes and carefully brushed away the strands of hair blocking his eyes. His beautiful eyes, she realised suddenly, as they twinkled more brightly than the stars in the sky.


	12. The Masquerade

Chapter Eleven The Masquerade 

When Lily descended down the staircase, she was in well-deserved awe. She simply couldn't believe she, Jules and Amelia had pulled this off only hours earlier. A thousand live fluttering fairies flew on live bats, sweeping through the great hall in a gigantic formation. Several girls shrieked and, holding onto their precious feathered hats. Dozens of enlarged pumpkins draped in black were arranged sensibly, acting as tables for the evening. Lit candles were magicked into the bewitched midnight-blue, starry night-sky. The centre of the great-hall was the circular dance floor, lit up with a bright florescent colour that bounced of the dull brick walls. Onto the side a long buffet table, laden with a delicious feast, was situated. Large banners, adorned with spangled stars of gold were hung, bearing the words 'October 31st –Halloween. The Halloween band, a troupe of sorrowful singers, clothed in black and orange began a mournful march as the guests made their way down to this, the first Halloween Ball.

"What a marvellous job we've done! With your charm, my ideas and Jules's… _grace_…" Amelia Moon giggled in Lily's ear. Her face shone with zeal, her eyes gleaming (glass free) jewels. Her lovely golden brown hair tumbled down in pretty curls, all the way down to her waist. Amelia was outfitted in long, flowing robes of robin red, with gold accents, bordering her sleeves and collar.

"You look beautiful, Amelia!" gasped Lily, hugging her friend. Amelia smiled in a cheeky fashion.

"Well, I suppose everyone has a frivolous side…" she chuckled.

Jules beside, her looked handsome and distinguished (two words which weren't usually used to describe him) in sleek silk robes of steel-grey, matching his cloudy blue eyes. His dirty blond hair fell in waves around his face and Lily saw a genuine smile playing on his lips.

"Hi Lily," he greeted. Then he tugged on Amelia's sleeve. "Let's go down, you don't want flutterwings to get you…"

Amelia looked beseechingly at him. "The buffet beckons, Jules," She waved at Lily and then disappeared through the throng of coloured robes and fancy finery.

"Lily!" a strong voice beckoned her with such force, that she felt herself being propelled forward. It was James, looking extremely different as well as extremely uncomfortable in manly robes of ebony, edged in red silk. A white collar peeked out from beneath the thick robe and black shoes gleaming with polish was visible as well. He clutched a top hat, with a red bow and a shiny walking stick in the other hand. His thick, wild black hair was gelled back in an attempt to temporarily tame it and a small, uncertain smile flickered on his lips she watched Lily.

Lily smiled back and in an instant, she wobbled dangerously on the steep step. "Whoa!" she cried as someone nudged her from behind. Her flimsy heel gave away and she stumbled down the steps. Her hands flew up protect her head. Gasps erupted around the staircase area. Then she felt something (or rather someone) warm envelop her, the tumbling sensation stopped. James hoisted her off the bottom stair, where he had broke her fall and placed her gently on the ground beside it. Lily, flushed and embarrassed, gazed everywhere but him. She should thank him…but how should she begin?

"James," she breathed, her voice oddly shaky.

A finger touched her mouth, but it slipped faster away than a slithering snake, silencing her.

"You look beau-nice…." Said James, her gaze caressing her face. There was something about him that tonight, that made Lily's heart beat a few beats faster and caused her hands to tremble in his presence. Had he changed, along with his clothes? Or was it just a masquerade?

Lily put those questions aside, as she took James's outstretched hand and let him lead her to a pumpkin covered table. They sat, gazing at each other across the expanse of table, through the faltering candlelight.

"The place looks good," James said, glancing around.

Lily's lip curved. "Well, so glad you think so," she answered, becoming more of herself.  
"I save you and all you have in store for me is…sarcasm!" cried James, in a false hurt voice.

"Thank you, kindly gentleman…you have saved my life. How must I repay you?" Lily chortled, playing along.

James pretended to consider.

"How about a kiss?" he joked.

When Lily blanched, he laughed. "On the cheek for me, miss!"

"I do not kiss hooligans who are bold enough to right a lady of my establishment _without my permission!_" gasped Lily, swooning dramatically. She was actually enjoying this little skit.

"_Permission!" _exclaimed James incredulously. _ "_You were about to tumble to your death, dear lady. Not a thought occurs when the one I love is in that position!"

Lily blanked out for moment; she did not know how to respond.

_Lily, it's a silly game, play along._ But Lily couldn't bring herself to do it. She felt uncomfortable.

Much to James disappointment, she did not answer in the verse they had been in conversing in, but, "I'm thirsty…could you get us some drinks please?"

James nodded, his face purely impassive as he rose and departed for the buffet table. Lily fanned herself with a napkin; it tremendously stuffy in the great hall that evening. Lily observed the other couples with passing interest.

Andie, looking especially majestic, in a long gown of vibrant orange, was partnered wih Gilbert Forsythe. Sirius was nearby, dancing embarrassingly close to Genevieve Thierry. Andie looked a bit short of disgusted.

Gen Moss had changed to a dress of daffodil yellow, it was a pretty, flowery thing and Gen looked sweet in it. She saw Lily glancing at she danced happily with Remus, her smile dimmed a bit. She waved hesitantly.

Lily's gaze shifted…there was Cynthia Goodwin, looking as she'd pulled out the entire contents of her wardrobe to find the 'perfect' dress. Lily was pretty sure she had. Cynthia had her arm looped through a distracted Amos Diggory. She wore velvet robes of bright turquoise. Sapphires sparkled on her earlobes and around her neck, but her expression was one of pure venom. Her glare stabbed her victims, a dainty curl of her upper lip, wounded them and one word with her was deadly poison to ones' lips. Lily wondered if there was some trouble with Amos, Cynthia only looked like that when there was boy trouble. Their gazes locked.

Lily had to look away from those dark, stabbing eyes.

The band had already struck up faster paced tune and Lily felt guilty. She would dance with James, she decided. After all, they were here together as friends to have fun. However, he had a different idea when he returned with drinks.

"It's hot in here…do you want to go for a walk?"

Lily gulped down her pumpkin juice. "Er…alright." Her robes were pretty thin and she hoped there wasn't too much of a chill.

James helped Lily up, clasping her hand.

Fresh air greeted them with open arms outside. Lily breathed it in greedy gulps.

"It's nice," she said in a small voice.

"Yes, it is," James agreed. They were still hand in hand and had circled in the magical fountain once. Fairies and other water creatures jumped in and out, their tiny screams of laughter well heard on land.

"So, um, how are you?' began Lily lamely.

"Fine…you?" James responded with an amused grin.

"Not the best…" Lily answered truthfully.

James shot her a concerned glance.

"My sister is getting married." At the mention of Petunia, Lily felt her insides churn; a most uncomfortable sensation.

James looked politely bewildered. "I'm very sorry to hear that…?"

Lily allowed herself a small smile, then her expression turned glum once more. "No, I got a letter from my mother. The wedding is in December."

"What…you have to miss a day of school?" James teased, still not understanding.

"No…I'm not invited," Lily informed him gloomily. "Petunia and I aren't close as we once were. I know she does not want me there."

James scratched his head. "Some _sister_…!"

Lily felt a sudden spark of annoyance. "Yet_, she is_ my sister. So, I'd appreciate if you didn't insult her!"

James backed off. "_Yet_, she can't invite you to her wedding, hmm….!" Mused James.

Lily frowned. "She doesn't believe in magic."

James laughed heartily at this as if it were the greatest joke in the world.

"By golly, you're a witch, Lily! And your sister doesn't _believe_ in magic."

"More like she doesn't want to…she thinks I'm a freak, who'll ruin her wedding to that muggle oaf she's marrying."

They had arrived at a bench. Lily plunked down on it, crossing her arms.

James's hand touched her arm lightly. "I don't think you're a freak, Lily Evans," he said earnestly.

Lily had to laugh and then she shivered. A chill blew in through the courtyard and her robes weren't the warmest. Instinctively, James wrapped a protective arm around her.

"James,"

James withdrew his arm, blushing furiously. "Sorry-"

"No, I was going to say…thank you," Lily rose, pulled him to his feet.

"Do you want to dance?" she asked suddenly.

"In the great hall?" asked James, removing his robe and draping it around Lily's shoulders.

Lily shook her magnificent head. "Right here. The wind will whisper our music,"

Smiling, James stepped forward, placing one arm around her waist. She, in turn placed her hand on his shoulder. The free hands joined together and they moved to the slow rhythm of the trees. The fairies oohed and giggled, slapping their tiny palms across their minuscule mouths, and the moon beamed upon them.

"You a strange girl, Miss Evans," declared James, twirling Lily around.

Lily giggled, swept into the moment. "Yes, Mr Potter, that's what makes me so hopelessly attractive."

**A/N: I will update quite soon. The next chapter is Dawn in the Owl Tower and there aren't many chapters left. Please review! **


	13. Dawn in the Owl Tower

**Chapter Twelve**

**Dawn in the Owl Tower**

'_Dear Mum, Dad and Petunia, _wrote Lily.

_How are you? Everything is just peachy at Hogwarts._

Peachy?

_Gen and Andie are perfectly fine. I'm keeping up with my studying for N.E.W.Ts. There is a new student from Beauxbatons, Genevieve Thierry. She's interesting…._

_Congratulations, Petunia! I read about your wonderful news. I am happy for and Vernon. I can't believe you'll be known as Petunia Dursley instead of Petunia Evans._

It's almost too horrible to bear.

_I'm sure you'll look beautiful on your wedding day._

I wouldn't know since I wasn't invited.

_Best of luck! I miss you all._

_Mum and Dad, I've struck up a friendship with the Potters' son. I remember you were so angry when I "accidentally" made James's hair explode one Christmas. But all that is behind us now. _

Hopefully.

_Once again, give my love to everyone._

_Yours to love,_

_Lily. E'_

Lily emitted a low moan, rolling up the parchment and sealing it up with her wand. She glanced into the common room fireplace, hissing and spiting flames. She could not destroy her fifth attempt into the hungry fire. It would have to do, Lily thought, glancing at the pathetic letter on her parchment.

It was 5.50 a.m. and Lily couldn't sleep, so she had decided to burden herself with the laborious task of writing home. Normally, she didn't mind; her mum and dad were so eager to hear about her adventures at Hogwarts. But Petunia's wedding and a lack of an invitation put a sour taste in Lily's mouth.

Lily yawned hugely. She should really finish it off and post the damn thing, before she was tempted to crumple it up like the others. Sniffling, Lily trudged up the spindly staircase to collect her green terry robe.

As she made her way through the labyrinth of corridors Hogwarts contained, she couldn't help thinking about last night with James. _Let the wind whisper our music! _ Lily chortled to herself, trying desperately to ignore the hot flush creeping up her cheeks. _What was I thinking?_ James must've just humoured her, laughing inwardly as she suggested fanciful, desperately lame implications. Nevertheless, last night had been transforming. After that dance, James and Lily wandered inside Hogwarts on the request of one of the professors chaperoning the ball. Surrounded by both their friends and their dates, they emptied the plates and drained their goblets in silence. Soon after, the ball came to an end and the attendants slowly began to filter out of their great hall. Lily waved to few her acquaintances, Emmeline Vance and Hestia Jones as they passed looking decidedly glum.

Lily's and James's goodbyes hadn't been spectacular, in fact, they were awkward at best. James had given her a quick, brotherly peck, which Lily suspected was supposed to land on her forehead, but fell on the top of her hair, instead. Then, quickly, without warning, James was whisked away by a panicked looking Sirius and squeaky Peter Pettigrew.

Lily had noticed Gen was standing, with a desolate expression on her face, staring in bewilderment at the Marauders retreating backs.

"Hi, Gen," said Lily, joining her friend at the bottom of the marble staircase. Gen barely seemed to acknowledge Lily's presence. "Something is wrong with Remus," she said suddenly, her brown eyes unusually alert.

Lily draped an arm around Gen. "He just felt sick-Gen. It was probably that treacle tart-I knew there was something wrong with it."

Gen seemed to wince at Lily's response, her gaze travelling to the floor. "You don't understand, Lily," she said in a quiet voice. They stood in silence, watching the floor with great reverence, Lily almost didn't see Andie traipsing toward the stairs, with her arm looped with Gilbert's.

"Gilbert and I are off," Andie growled, looking particularly bad tempered, her hair potion fading and her hair growing frizzier by the minute.

"And I suppose I ought to mention it to Sirius?" Lily questioned dryly.

"Wonder where that stupid bloke's got off to…" muttered Andie, "probably chasing that trampy Veela!"

With that, Andie gave poor Gilbert a mighty tug, causing him to lurch forward. She stomped her up the stairs, Sirius still on her mind, no doubt.

The night seemed to blacken and a few minutes later Lily hit the pillow with a soft thud, letting thoughts of James, Andie, Gen and Genevieve consume her. Of course, she'd awoken only a few hours later from some nightmare she rather didn't want to remember. And here she was…

Lily took a deep breath and pushed the doors to the Owlery open. A cool draft from the glassesless windows of the Owlery welcomed her, as well as they ruffling of hundred owls' feathers and the crunch of straw and animal bone beneath her feet.

"Here, Hue!" Lily cooed, summoning her owl, handsome, self-important tawny. Hue swooped down and steeled on a nearby perch, eyeing Lily imperiously. Lily hastily attached the letter to Hue's clawed feet.

"Off you go," she whispered, as Hue spread out his magnificent wings and departed through one of the windows. Lily watched him soar against the pale pinkish-grey skies and then disappear among the clouds of cotton and buildings of grey.

The letter was gone.

"Gone," she echoed, "well, Petunia can appreciate her own spiteful ways," Lily muttered.

"So, talking to yourself is one of your oddities, eh? Evans?" Lily gave such a start, her heart lurched and her hair whipped around as she turned to face…

"James!" she gasped, noticing a tired James bundled in a thick red blanket in the furthest corner of the Owlery. "What are you doing here?" she then questioned, her face flushing the shade of James's blanket.

For god's sake-she was in her rattiest robe!

For reason James looked guilty. "Not only you can send letters, Lily," James retorted in an almost accusatory tone.

Lily sighed, finally, getting over her shock. She inspected James carefully-he was still wearing his dress robes and his hair was tousled and messier than usual-plus he seemed exhausted. She approached him and plunked down beside him.

"Were where you last night?" she asked shrewdly.

"None of your bees wax, Evans," James replied acidly.

"Is Remus alright?"

James gave a start, his eyes widening and his face suddenly paler that in it was before.

"Yes…" he said slowly, seizing up Lily suspiciously.

"Alright," Lily continued casually, "Sirius? Peter?"

"Fine. Fine." James responded impatiently.

"What's wrong then?" She was being unbelievably nosy, but she just knew something was up that James was refusing share with her.

"Nothing-I came here because I didn't want to get wandering the corridors at night."

"Since when does James Potter care?" Lily laughed sardonically as James gazed at her with a purposefully pathetic look playing across his features.

"Actually," he began sorrowfully, "I thought of you. I knew you would never forgive me if I cost Gryffindor any more points…"

Lily snorted at this point. "What a load of bat droppings, James," she exclaimed, "since when do you care about what I think?"

There was pause, in which James stared at her with those big hazel eyes.

"Since last night."

And Lily nearly believed him, until a moment later when she came back to her senses and realised James was just play acting. So, he could get her to forget about what he really did last night.

She punched him lightly on the arm. "Alright, I won't question anymore but Gen is awful worried about Remus, that's all," Lily finally said. James nodded, his face relaxing.

"Look, the sun is up," James suddenly pointed out. Lily followed the contour of his arm to see the sky had erupted into a kaleidoscope of warm colours. Brilliant hues of yellow, orange and mauve greeted her eyes. "It's beautiful," she breathed, "I've never seen it like this."

_I should think not,_ added Lily inwardly, very much aware she was so close to James that their thighs were practically touching.

Still, it was beautiful-the way the sun woke up each day.

Beside her, James emitted a huge yawn. "The only bad thing-now the day begins…."

Lily happened to agree dearly.

"You must be stiff, sleeping her all night," she observed as James stretched further.

"Why are you up so early, anyway?" James questioned, eager not to let the conversation stray near his mysterious whereabouts last night.

"Petunia," Lily answered with a heavy sigh. "Letters must be sent-I have to acknowledge her union to the bothersome man at least."

"You know him?" asked James in surprise.

"Oh, yes, our prim and proper neighbours to the right. Oddly, though Petunia was never very taken in with Vernon," Lily mused, reminiscing upon her childhood days.

"Things change," James reported gravely, though his mouth twitched.

Lily laughed. "So, I notice."

James leaned forward. "You know I never got to say goodnight properly, last night…"

Lily managed to turn her retort into a choked little cough. "Mmm," she murmured, unable to look James in the eye as he spoke.

"But you are well aware of that, yes?"

"Oh, yes.…" mumbled Lily, who for some insane reason couldn't stop smiling.

"And you know we're talking basically about nothing, right?" whispered James softly, his breath tickling her ear.

"Not _nothing_-last night-" Lily protested.

"And you look like a bit of an idiot-right-with that smile of yours-"

Lily gasped and in part annoyance and amusement, she grabbed a clumpful of straw and hay from the ground and hurled at James.

James blinked several times in apparent shock, her unruly black hair only slightly visible through all that hay. Lily couldn't help the giggle that escaped her mouth.

"OI!" exclaimed James, laughing himself. "You'll pay for that, you will, Lily!" He rose, shaking the spare bits of straw from his head, like a dog out of water,

"Lily shrieked, ducking as James aimed a handful of straw at her.

"Well, you'll have to catch me first!" Lily declared, quickly rushing out the Owlery door.

"You come back here, Lily Evans!" howled James.

And Lily did, perhaps the most childish thing so far-she stuck out her tongue at him.


	14. The Black Feud

Chapter Thirteen The Black Feud 

November progressed in a haze of hectic days, work mounting, teachers and tensions and studying to the point where Lily remembered chanting the words of her textbook in her sleep. Hogwarts seemed to have undergone a change-for one thing its inhabitants were all much gloomier, with the exception of Peeves the poltergeist, of course. The walls seemed greyer, their lives a little darker, perhaps.

"Darker," Lily mused out loud, over the Daily Prophet clutched in her right hand, as she struggled to tip sugar with her left hand.

Andie sipped thoughtfully on her pomegranate and pear concoction, her dark eyes clouding over. "He-who-must-not-be-named is supposed to be at the peak of his powers. You know, he's recruiting people to help him-?"

"Deatheaters-" Lily filled in helpfully, glancing back the article for reference. Gen shuddered. "It's simply horrible. I've heard of all kinds of things-" She dropped her voice and her head a bit lower, so her chin was almost touching the tip of her spoon. "Emmeline Vance's brother was murdered. He's an Auror, you know," She shuddered once again, lifting her head and daintily wiping her mouth with a napkin.

Andie's eyes flashed. "I reckon, I might consider becoming an Auror-" She gave a regal nod, causing a passing fourth-year to scuttle off in fright.

Lily nodded in agreement and was on the verge of saying something when Genevieve and her troupe of admiring boys arrived.

" 'Allo!" Genevieve announced, placing her hands on her hips. "Leely, Andee, Gen! I 'aven't seen you forvair!" Genevieve continued, her blonde head bobbing vigorously as she spoke.

"How are you, Genevieve?" Lily spoke, with a dry smile. She got accustomed to the French girl, finally. No flaws could be reported, to Lily's disappointment, however. Genevieve gave a moan of despair.

"Oh, absolutely 'orrible!" she proclaimed. "I 'ave 'ad no time for zhee eessential theengs. Eet eez most dreadful. We reely should 'ave another ball, Leely. You did zhee most magnificent job, last time!" With that Genevieve flounced off, the boys hurrying in her wake.

"Damn that Veela," Lily cursed at Genevieve's retreating back as Andie and Gen chuckled to themselves.

"Didn't see Sirius among her admirers…" began Gen slowly, turning to face Andie.

"Ditched him, has she?"

Andie glowered at Lily, her face similar to the sky before a thunderstorm. "No, I haven't seen Sirius all week." She said in a dangerously low voice.

"Ditched _you,_ then has he?" chuckled Gen, paying dearly for her stupidity when Andie jinxed her with lips as fat as a flobberworm.

After a filling and thoroughly satisfying breakfast, Andie and Lily set off for Defence Against the Dark Arts with Professor Myrne and a scowling (though with considerably thinner lips) Gen scurried off to her favourite subject, Astronomy.

"Poor Gen," said Andie guiltily, a few minutes later, as she and Lily ascended up a long flight of stairs.

Lily balanced her books in one arm, as she tried to read the time off her watch. "Yeah, well, she's worried about Remus," Lily murmured distractedly.

Andie stopped suddenly, causing Lily, who was behind her to bang into her back. "Remus..he's strange…" she mused at loud. "He is deathly pale and ill all the time-"

"But Gen likes him and he _is the kindest _ of the Marauders," Lily argued. They passed a gaggle of giggling third year girls in silence.

"Oh… I wish we could apparate within Hogwarts!" Andie grumbled as she and Lily reluctantly embarked upon their fourth flight of stairs.

"Speaking of the Marauders…how is your pal, Jamesy…?" Andie cracked a dry smile, as if restraining herself from calling James anything else. James would occasionally say hi to Lily in the halls and this seemed to irritate Andie thoroughly. She was certain that James possessed over-friendly feelings toward Lily. She claimed, 'that Potter…he's up to something."

Lily begged to differ, their conversations were perfectly normal and James had even begun doing his Head boy chores more frequently. And Lily was pretty sure, he shared no romantic interest for her because he had begun dating Hestia Jones, a clever and pretty Gryffindor girl. Lily, on the other hand, still didn't have a boyfriend.

Eager to derail a potentially embarrassing topic, Lily questioned, "What about you and _Gilbert? _Did Sirius see you?" Lily knew perfectly well what had happened to Forsythe after the ball. Andie had used him and dumped him faster than pus and Lily had an inkling why.

On cue, Andie turned her preferred shade of magenta. "Don't go hinting about Siri-" Andie paused mid-word for she had just spotted a band of unfriendly Slytherins with identical green and white scarves coiled around their necks. Two of the group eight, descended down the staircase, until they reached Andie and Lily. Andie's eyes narrowed to grey slits, her lower lip jutting forward. Lily felt the hairs on her neck stand up.

"Ah…my lovely, charming sisters. Come to give me my early Christmas present?" Andie spoke in a voice that was indifferent and cold. But Lily knew better. It was very easy to forget that Andie did not belong with the regular throng of Gryffindors. Like Sirius, she was a Black. A Black meant to be sorted into Slytherin. However, Sirius and Andromeda Black had broken the rules, when the Sorting Hat had placed both in house that was the serpent's enemy. It was hard to believe Andie even had sisters, even had a twin…

Bellatrix Black, looked like a darker version of Andromeda, with heavy lidded grey eyes and sleeker dark hair. The only thing the two shared was their birthday. Andie had disowned her parents and views as soon as she set foot in Hogwarts.

Narcissa was nothing like the twins, with waist-length blond hair and frosty blue eyes. She was pale to the point where she almost glowed ( a sickly sort of glow.)

The two approached Andromeda and Lily with identical sneers plastered on their faces.

"Well, well, the blood traitor and her mudblood friend. It is you, who have given us, the early Christmas gift, Andromeda!" Bellatrix spat in Andie's face. To Andie credit; she barely flinched.

"Where is your thuggish, brainless boyfriend, Bella? Doesn't care much that his girlfriend's head is about to blown off, hmm!" Andie hissed in response, pulling out her wand.

"All lies, Andromeda. You'd never point a wand in your twin's direction…" Bellatrix eyed Andie with contempt.

The hand clutching the wand trembled and faltered slightly. Andie clenched her teeth, patches of red appearing on her face. In support, Lily drew out her own wand, directing it toward Bellatrix and Narcissa.

"But I wouldn't mind, Bellatrix," said Lily with more conviction than she felt.

Narcissa threw her head back and laughed cruelly.

"Right, that's right, you'd curse Bella and I! You prissy little Headgirl! You're nothing but a filthy mudblood!" she shrieked, nearly hysterically. Bellatrix and the remaining Slytherins joined in.

Andie tensed. "You be-"

Something inside Lily snapped, she remained frozen gripping her wand tightly. Her vein in forehead threatened to pop.

_I'm used to it…_she heard her own voice echo in her head. _Well, you shouldn't be…_her mind shot back furiously.

"LEVICORPUS!" Lily screamed with a flick of her wand. A jet of blinding violet light issued from her wand, hitting Narcissa squarely on the chest.

In the next second, Narcissa found her suspended in the air from her ankle, her face a delicate shade of green. "Let me down!" she hissed, half-pleading.

Andie smirked, casting Lily an admiring glance. "Now, that's what I call a real witch."

And, then with a casual flick of her wand, Andie drew an imaginary circle around the Slytherin group and muttered the spell under her breath.

In a shot, all eight Slytherins were dangling from their ankles in air.

"Cissy!" Bella wailed.

"Well, how very entertaining," Andie announced smugly, pocketing her wand.

"Put us right!" screamed Narcissa, brandishing her arm violently at Lily.

Lily's upper lip curled. "No, I think I'd just let a _pureblood_ like yourself, figure it out,"

With that she continued up the stairs, with Andie by her side.

They arrived in Professor Myrne's class nearly fifteen minutes late, out of breath and full of excuses.

"Take a seat," Professor Myrne commanded briskly. She was fairly young woman, compared to the other Professors', with alert green eyes behind square frames and curly locks of brown. Several of the boys secretly liked her, for she was amiable and fair most of the time-not to mention, pretty.

Genevieve wrinkled her nose at Professor Myrne; it was a commonly known fact that Genevieve couldn't stand any one prettier than she. She considered Valentina Myrne, a potential threat to her flawless reputation as .

Lily and Andie shame-facedly shuffled to the front of the class to the seats Professor Myrne had gestured.

Lily thought she felt a poke as she passed by James's desk. A second later, she realised James had slipped her note. In the disguise copying notes off the board, Lily read the note to herself.

'_Are you ok?'_

Lily tilted her head so James could see her; he looked concerned.

She nodded, smiling slightly, as a warm feeling invaded her body.

"By now, you should all be fairly experienced in non-verbal communication. So, you will divide into pairs and duel each other…"

That night, Lily was curled up in her favourite arm-chair, with singers from the Witches Wireless Network to accompany her. Gen had a night-time Astronomy class and Andie was reluctantly serving detention, cleaning out the greenhouses without magic, with Professor Bough, the herbology teacher. The reason: calling him an overgrown Bugwasp Bulkweed to his face. Sirius, who had suddenly made a rare appearance had found this highly amusing. And Amelia and Jules claimed to be 'studying' together.

So, that left Lily to privacy that evening, knitting as she hummed along to some of Twanel Dabb's 'A Hatful of Happiness.'

Lily's thoughts strayed upon the letter and Petunia's reaction when she received it. First off, the owl would scare the wits out her, swooping in through the Evans's kitchen window-

But before Lily had time to imagine what happened next, the portrait swung open and James Potter, closely followed by a pale Remus Lupin and a peeved Sirius, came striding in.

"He's a nice, nasty piece of work he is, that Regullus," hissed Sirius , his face contorted with fury. The three Marauders plopped down on nearby armchairs quite near Lily, although her armchair was turned the opposite way.

"I mean, cursing Peter like that,"

That explained why Peter Pettigrew, the fourth of the quartet wasn't present. Lily put her needles down, craning her neck ever so slightly to observe the scene. Perhaps, this would explain James's mysterious whereabouts the night of the ball.

"Wormtail was lucky. He had you two," spoke Remus, stifling a yawn, seeming more exhausted than ever.

James, who had been preoccupied with capturing a stolen snitch, tore his eyes away to face Remus,

"Aww, c'mon, Moony. You helped-it was just your furry little problem…" James chuckled to himself.

Lily's ears perked. Wait, that made no sense. Did Lupin have a pet?

Remus managed a feeble grin as Sirius nodded vigorously.

Then he cracked a sly smile. "I hear your girlfriend is up in the Astronomy Tower…why don't you join her, eh, Moony?" Sirius winked suggestively as James roared with laughter at a poor Remus, who was a now a shade of bright crimson.

"I've no intention of visiting the tower Nor will I ever." Remus said as calmly as possible, but there was no mistaking the flushed complexion and sudden awkwardness about him that gave away his true feelings.

"Well, you sure are missing something, mate," declared Sirius whole-heartedly.

"Oi! Even Lily Evans has been there!" added James, his voice thick with incredulity.

"Oh, not with you, I presume?" chuckled Sirius, as Lily gave a silent gasp in her secluded corner.

"Herself-honestly I reckon she was spying on me-" James smirked, in a smug fashion, raking his long fingers through his wild waves of black hair.

"Why would Lily Evans be stalking you, of all people, James?" voiced Remus cynically.

James attempted a nonchalant shrug. "Beats me. Maybe she's realised she si truly, madly and deeply in love with me-"

James paused for effect, while Lily tried desperately to find her voice.

Sirius chortled, highly amused. "The only person that is truly, madly and deeply in love with James Potter, is James Potter."

Remus grinned appreciatively as James drew himself to his full height.

"Lily is so in love with me. I'll show you. I'll show her," huffed James.

Lily then, cleared her throat, startling the three boys.

"Sorry to disappoint you, James, but Lily has a mind of her own."

At last! Her voice had returned!

Lily shifted her knitting material and rose from her winged armchair.

Sirius and Remus broke into raucous peals of laughter.

"Painted yourself into a might tiny corner here, Prongs," said Remus.

"Blimey, mate," exclaimed Sirius. Then grabbing Remus and dashing off to the portrait, he said, "we're off!"

The portrait slammed behind them leaving Lily and James standing before the burning fire, their eyes locked with one and others'.

Lily's arms were crossed and she was regarding James with a mixture of anger and amusement. Anger being the main ingredient.

James backed off decidedly nervous and probably ever mentioning Lily in the first place.

"Hi, Lily. Don't you look…um…charming today…"

Lily tossed her fiery mane backward, her eyes still fixed on James.

"Well, thank you, James. You look positively dreadful." She shouted, her hands on her hips.

James took another step back, nearly toppling over a table.  
"I mean...look at you…you must be awfully exhausted. All that flirting must get tiring after awhile."

James bumped into a wall.

"I guess so, yeah," he answered casually.

"And me! I do think I'm _truly_ mad, James. You know why?"

"I really don't-" began James, turning a sheepish red.

"Well, anyone would be truly mad to be in love with you!" screamed Lily in James's flustered face before she stalked off to her dormitory.

Boy, yelling at James was good for stress.

There was a light and a constant stream of urgent whispering in her ear.

_What is that?_ Lily wondered lazily in bed. _Some one stop it_. _It's getting annoying._

"Bof it-" Lily spluttered incoherently, still not opening her eyes.

""Damn it, Evans!" a loud voice shouted, jerking her completely awake. Lily bolted upright out of bed.

Snatching up her bed covers as protection, her eyes wide in panic, she immediately knew James Potter was standing over her bed. She glanced over to her alarm clock. At 1.00 o'clock in the morning. What she didn't know was…

"For do I owe this late, rude, abrupt, illegal, ruthless awakening?"

But James wasn't not in a mood for Lily's sarcasm. He grabbed by the wrist, pulling her out of bed, his face contorted in obvious worry. "I really don't care what you have to say, Lily. Andromeda and Sirius-they're in a big fight. We have to stop it-_now!_"

He gave Lily's arm an almighty tug propelling her forward and dragging her behind him.

"But-I-I-pyjamas!" Lily sputtered as James lead her down the spindly staircase. "Andie and Sirius are always fighting-why…?"

_Why must I lose my sleep over it?_

James threw her exasperated glance. "Not between them-with the Slytherins-Narcissa, Regullus and Bellatrix. Sirius went to collect Andie after detention and they encountered their 'family' by the dungeons. Bellatrix and the rest were apparent torturing Ted Tonks, the muggleborn and Andie intervened-"

Instantly, Lily was alert. "Oh no-!" She hurried along with James.

When they arrived, the scene was not pretty. Ted Tonks, a lively seventh year with curly brown hair was knocked out, his eyes wide and glassy and his body in a spread eagle position. Andie was close by, badly bruised and bloodied, battling a smirking Bellatrix.

"Protective, aren't we?" Bellatrix hissed, glancing over at the form of Ted Tonks back to Andie. Andie tensed.

"_Stup-"_

_"Sect-"_

Their spells ricocheted off each other landing on the wall. Narcissa and Regulls were a duelling a weakened Sirius, who was nursing severely bad burns. James immediately hurried off toward his friend.

Narcissa's sneer widened further when she was James and Lily hurrying.

"Thought you'd gone to get a teacher, Potter-"

Regullus, who looked so very unlike handsome Sirius, sneered, "well, this makes things quite simpler, doesn't it?"

"Lily!" Andie cried, her face going pale. Bellatrix took the opportunity was firing a freezing charm on her. Andie's body immediately went rigid. Then forcing her self to recover, she said her voice full of hatred- "_Av_-"

"No!" screamed Lily, shooting a jet of light from her wand to cut off the spell.

"-_riane plutonium_!" hissed Andie quietly, struck by her own words.

"Andie , don't. Stop it! Andie, you're going to get hurt!" Lily cried in vain as Andie dodged another one Bellatrix's spells.

Bellatrix turned her cold face upon Lily. "I know something that would hurt you the most, my twin-"

Even Regullus and Narcissa stopped to watch. Sirius was slumped in a corner, his head drooping over his lap. James, however, sprang up, his eyes alert.

"No-" Andie whimpered. She was on her knees, her skin partially blue. The freezing charm was working. " You're scum, you're filth…." She mumbled weakly, almost as if she were talking to herself.

Lily tensed. _Get a teahcer! Get a teacher! _But her legs refused to move.

Bellatrix's face hardened as she surveyed Lily with contempt.

"You tried to kill me tonight, despite your lack of hate and your weak attempt to conceal your true emotion. This is for besmirching the family name, Andromeda."

Before Lily could dodge, hide or protect, she aimed a spell, her face a mask of vicious fury.

"_Cruci-"_

_"NOOOOO!_" a wail echoed through Lily's ears. She felt James spring up before her, heard Andie's hysterical outcry, Bellatrix's cruel laughter and saw a faint red light before everything dissolved into blackness.

A/N: my own little attempt to adding some darkness to the story. Not my best area, but lot of L/J interaction. Writing the next chapter-! Please read and review!


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